


Leap of Faith

by ReyloRobyn2011



Series: Wildest Aspirations [2]
Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Adventure, Booby Traps, Curses, Devoted Reylo, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fluff, Indiana Jones AU, Marriage, Sequel to Fortune and Glory, Solo boys banter, Tombs and history
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-03
Updated: 2017-12-07
Packaged: 2018-11-08 12:01:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 41,883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11081163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReyloRobyn2011/pseuds/ReyloRobyn2011
Summary: Set three years after the events of Fortune and Glory. Recently married, Rey and Ben set off to Guatemala for an archaeological dig in the Mayan ruins of Tikal.





	1. Honeymoon

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Shwtlee](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shwtlee/gifts).



> Welcome to the sequel! My muse wouldn't let me leave this alone. So here is the first chapter. There are still about 5-6 chapters left of Fortune and Glory. I hope you enjoy this!

Ben stood at the doorway of their honeymoon suite, watching Rey as she leaned over the wooden balcony overlooking the lush island foliage. He still couldn’t believe that this was his life, that he married the woman he loves.  
  
He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She relaxed into his chest as he pressed kisses along the column of her neck and down her shoulders.

“I love you Ben,” Rey whispered as he traced patterns into the skin of her exposed back.

  
“I love you too sweetheart.”

He lifted her off her feet and carried her back to their bed, kissing her the entire way.

She looked gorgeous in her white summer dress, her entire back exposed, her skin a gorgeous bronze from their time in the sun.

Ben laid her out on the bed, the windows were open allowing the warm breeze to blow through. He could smell the salt in the air from the ocean.

He kissed her lips deeply. His dark curls falling into her face and he peppered kisses on the corner of her mouth and down her neck.

“I love you, I love you so much. My wife. My beautiful darling wife.”

  
Their wedding had been a small ceremony held in front of the Great Pyramids of Giza. It signified the start of their relationship and where their love for each other blossomed.

Ben held her hands as tears slipped out of his eyes. His uncle Luke officiated and his parents were in attendance.

They had written their own vows. And he remembered his words and probably would for the rest of his life.

_My darling Rey, the past three years have been the most thrilling in my entire life. I will always remember the day you stepped into my class and changed my life forever. I remember the day we left for our expedition in Egypt, and how everyone around us assumed you were my wife. Here we are now back in Egypt, and finally I am able to make you my wife. I love you more than I ever thought I could love another. Thank you for loving me in return and for agreeing to marry me._

She had cried at his promises to love and cherish her forever, and her own promises sounded so sweet.

_Ben, when I first met you I thought that I would never have a chance with a man so intelligent and handsome. You didn't even know it, but you had already stolen my heart. And when you returned my affection-- it meant the world to me. Never before in my life had anyone done that. Loved me. And you love me so deeply. You are patient and kind, and you treat me like a queen. I am so fortunate to have such a devoted man to love me and hold me dear. I love you Ben. I would always choose to marry you._

When Luke said, “You may now kiss the bride.” Ben had pulled Rey against him and gently dipped her, kissing her passionately.

He had promptly picked her up in his arms and carried her across the sand, back to their rental car. And once they arrived to their hotel- the one they had stayed at during their expedition, he carried her all the way to their room and made love to her for the first time as man and wife.

  
Ben kissed her now, _his wife_ , he would never tire of saying that. He snuck his fingertips under the thin strap of her dress and gently pulled it off of her shoulder revealing her perky breast. He groaned at the sight and left wet kisses along her jaw and neck as he made his way down her body.

Once he reached her collarbone, he sucked at the sensitive skin there until it bruised. He let his hand fall upon her exposed breast and gave it a gentle squeeze. Ben felt her nipple harden against the palm of his hand. He took his thumb and circled the areola until the pad of his thumb brushed over her stiff peak. Ben pulled the other strap of her dress off of her shoulder to expose both breasts. He weighed them in his hands, squeezing her flesh and pinching her nipples between his eager fingers.

Ben then replaced his fingers with his mouth and sucked her nipple between his lips. Rey’s fingernails raked against his scalp before grabbing at his curly locks and pulling his head up. She captured his lips with hers and licked the seam of his mouth.

He opened up for her and sucked on her tongue as he pushed her dress up over her hips, revealing her smooth, tan legs. Ben hooked his hand under her knee and pushed her thigh against her chest-- pressing her breasts together. He rolled his hips against hers, rubbing his clothed erection against her panties.

“Oh sweetheart, my naughty little thing. Do you feel what you do to me?” He thrusted his hips against her again to prove his point.

“Ben, stop teasing me. Please!”

He kissed her on the lips again, nipping at her bottom lip as he pulled away. He grabbed her hips and pulled her into his lap.

Ben delicately pulled the summer dress off of his wife's body, groaning at the sight of her naked skin as it was revealed to him.

“You are still-- and will always be, the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on.”

“Oh Ben.”

He pulled her into his chest for a tight embrace. He rested his head on her shoulder as she carded her fingers through his hair.

“How did I get so lucky?” He mused as he pressed a kiss on her neck.

“Dr. Solo, I think I'm the lucky one. I have the sexiest, kindest, and most intelligent husband in the entire world.”

Ben rewarded her with a passionate kiss.

“Mm say that again,” he groaned.

“Which part? Sexy, kind, intelligent?”

“No, no. Call me your husband again.”

“My husband.”

Ben gently laid her onto the bed. He hooked his thumbs under the band of her panties and pulled them down her legs, kissing her knees and the inside of her thighs as he made his way up her body.

He pulled his shirt over his head and Rey’s hands immediately grabbed for his shoulders. Ben sat back on his haunches, causing Rey to whine when he backed away from her.

“Shh, patience sweetheart,” he chided.

Ben pulled off his pants and underwear and settled back on top of her. Her hands groped at his ass to pull him in closer. Ben grabbed his cock and lined himself up with her wet pussy. She was always ready for him. He gently nudged her entrance, coating the head of his penis with her arousal.

Done with his teasing, he pushed into her, hilting himself inside. Rey wrapped her legs around his waist and crossed her ankles at his lower back.

“You feel so good darling, you always feel so good.”

He began thrusting inside of her, gentle strokes at first until he felt her begin to moan and shudder beneath him. Her hazel eyes were locked onto his brown ones, and Ben marveled at the little gasps she let out as he made love to her. His wife. It didn’t take either of them long to come. Ben felt her walls fluttering around him and he came deep inside of her. Once he pulled out he watched at the evidence leaked out of her slick folds. He gathered it on his fingertips and pushed it back inside, where it belonged.

***

Their nights were passionately spent in their hotel room, making love until the sun rose, peeking through the blinds. And their days were spent relaxing on the beach and conversing about anything and everything. Ben liked to hold her hand as they laid on the beach. Often he would bring her knuckles up to his lips and leave soft, sweet kisses there.

The week seemed to fly by, and before either of them knew it they were packing up their bags and heading to the airport. It was time to return to New York City.

Although the two of them had flown to various different places within the last three years, Rey still found herself paranoid during takeoff and landing. Ben willingly gave her his arm to hold on to, and it reminded him fondly of the first time she had grabbed onto his arm three years prior on their trip to Egypt. Back then the flight attendants believed that she was his wife, and as fate would have it, that is exactly what she became. Ben couldn’t have been happier to fulfill that fantasy.

Once they were in the air and the fasten seatbelts light went off, Rey grabbed his cheek and pulled his face down to hers. She kissed him sweetly on the lips and smiled up at him. That smile of hers always made his heart beat just a little bit faster.

“I love you Ben.”

“And I love you.”

She rested her head on his shoulder and laced their fingers together.

“My father mentioned an expedition in Guatemala. Would you be interested in joining? It could be a good time.”

Rey nodded her head before responding, “Of course, I always love our trips we’ve gone on. When does he leave though? I would like to spend a few weeks at home before setting off again. I’ve missed our apartment.”

Ben thought back to when they had returned from their trip in Egypt. He had promptly asked her to move in with him and she happily agreed. Ever since then they had been living together.

“I will have to ask him when he leaves, I’m not positive. You should call Jessika and ask if she would be interested in going. Have you talked to her recently?”

“Yes, I haven’t seen her in a few months though. She has been pretty busy with her dissertation.”

“Hmm, and what of Finn?”

“Finn’s great! He misses you Ben.”

“I'm glad you've kept in touch with your friends,” he said as he kissed her temple. “You should invite them both. It would be enjoyable to work together again, especially now that you all have graduated.”

Rey kissed his cheek, “I think I will.”

***

Ben grabbed their luggage off the conveyor belt and put an arm around Rey’s waist as they walked outside of JFK to the arrivals area. He caught sight of his father waiting for them.

Han walked over and pulled Rey into a tight hug. His mother opened the front door of the car and climbed out to meet them both. She smiled at Rey and yelled at Han to _let her have a turn,_ hugging Rey just as tightly as his father had.

Han grabbed Ben’s cheek and pulled his forehead down to his own.

“I missed you son.”

“Oh come on, I was only gone a week. You couldn't have missed me that much.” Ben said.

Leia walked over next, smirking at the sight of him and his father in such an intimate embrace.

“My sweet son,” she said. “I hope you and your beautiful wife had a wonderful time.”

“We did,” Ben said as he felt his cheeks begin to blush. _They had a very good time indeed._

“And you'll let me know when I am to be a grandmother right?”

“Mother!”

“Stop, don't pretend like the two of you played chess that whole time. Your father and I used to be young.”

“God, okay, I really did not need that image. Let's get going. Yes?”

Rey chuckled at his parents’ love of embarrassing him. He smiled down at her again, feeling his heart swell with his love for her.

His wife, his beautiful Rey. Ben couldn't wait to spend the rest of his life traveling and exploring with this gorgeous woman. He was truly the luckiest man alive.

His wife. He rather liked the sound of that.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It didn’t take long for Ben and Rey to settle into the routine of marriage. After only a short two weeks of being back from their honeymoon they were already packing for their next expedition.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you like the sequel <3

It didn’t take long for Ben and Rey to settle into the routine of marriage. After only a short two weeks of being back from their honeymoon they were already packing for their next expedition. Rey had their suitcases opened on their bed as she gently folded their clothing. Ben was collecting their passports and other travel documents they would need.

Once the documents had been safely packed away, Ben walked up behind Rey and wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing kisses on the sensitive slope of her neck.

Rey reached her hand back and brushed her fingers through Ben’s wavy locks.

“Are you ready?” Ben asked with a smile on his face.

“Yes, let me set up the camera,” she answered as she kissed him on the lips.

Rey walked over to the tri-pod stand and set their camera on a timer. This was a tradition they had started after their trip to Egypt. They took pictures together before every new travel, and documented their journeys for their many scrapbooks that they put together.

The timer beeped at them, letting them know that they had ten seconds before the camera went off. Ben put his arm around Rey’s shoulders while she leaned into his side, resting her head on his chest. He smiled broadly as the camera took their photo.

Rey ran to the camera and looked at the screen, she smiled and told him it was _perfect_. Ben couldn’t disagree with that-- any picture of his beautiful wife would be considered _perfect_ in his mind.

“Have you called your father?” Rey asked as she wrapped her arms around Ben’s waist and pecked his chin.

Ben put his hands on her cheeks and lifted her face to his, pressing a deep kiss upon her lips.

“Yes, he’s meeting us at the airport. Have you spoken to your friends?”

Rey ran her hands up his chest and wrapped them around his neck.

“Yes, Jessika and Finn are both coming along. They are meeting us at the gate as well.”

“Perfect,” Ben said, sliding his hands down her back until he was grabbing her ass.

Rey laughed as she pushed him lightly away.

“We don’t have time for that now! Wait until we are in Guatemala.”

“I’m holding you to that,” he chided, “As soon as we get to the hotel, I’m taking you to our room and ravishing you.”

“You are insatiable,” Rey replied.

“Only for you, my love. Only for you.”

“Damn right,” she said, kissing him once more.

***

Rey had insisted that they call for an Uber to take them to the airport. Ben had never used an Uber service before and felt old as he opened the app on his phone to request the car service. Within minutes, the car pulled up in front of their apartment.

“See how awesome this is? Much better than calling a cab,” she insisted.

Ben wasn’t sure, he was skeptical but willing to give it a try-- for Rey.

He grabbed their suitcases and placed them in the trunk of the car, then proceeded to open the door for Rey, allowing her to slide across the back seat. He joined her after, his knees hitting the back of the seat in front of him. Damn his long legs.

They made idle conversation while they rode to the airport. Ben marveled at the crystal necklace Rey wore around her neck. It was the necklace that he found on one of his first expeditions, and he gifted it to Rey during their trip to Egypt. She hardly ever took the necklace off. He loved that about her. Everything he had ever gifted her, no matter what it was, she loved and cherished.

He eyed the pearl ring and the gold band that adorned her ring finger. The non-traditional wedding ring was one of a kind. Ben loved the sight of the ring and band on her finger. He had a matching gold band on his finger as well. Ben Solo had never been possessive, until he had met Rey that is. Now, he quite liked that she wore proof of their commitment. And he knew she was just as possessive as him. His feisty girl would chase off promiscuous women with just a glare. Not that Rey had anything to worry about, she was the only woman for him. But Rey liked to mark her territory, especially when some mindless flirt showed up. And Ben would be a fool to deny that it didn’t turn him on.

He shook himself from the thought-- they still had a while before they would arrive at their hotel in Guatemala. He needed to get a hold of himself.

The Uber pulled up in front of JFK international airport. Ben grabbed Rey’s hand and helped her out of the car before grabbing their luggage from the trunk. They walked hand in hand to the kiosk where they could check their bags.

Rey’s stomach growled as they waited in line to go through security. Ben chuckled and leaned in to press a kiss to her temple.

“We can grab breakfast once we get through security, sweetheart.”

She looped her arm through his and rested her head on his shoulder.

“I really love you,” she said.

“Not as much as I love you,” he replied.

***

They were sitting in the little cafe, eating some breakfast sandwiches when Ben heard a voice screech out, “REY!”

Ben’s eyes widened as Jessika ran up to them and first wrapped Rey up into a large hug before moving on to him. He awkwardly patted her back as she squeezed the breath out of him.

“Rey, I’ve missed you. How was your wedding? And your honeymoon? Tell me everything. Don’t leave out any details. Not even the sexy ones.”

Ben choked on his orange juice.

“Perhaps later,” Jessika smirked.

Rey thankfully changed the subject, “How’s your dissertation?”

“I’m still working on it, but I thought a small break was within reason. I couldn’t pass up a chance to travel with you again.”

“I’m excited too,” Rey said.

Jessika stood, grabbing her purse from the ground and smiling at the two of them once more.

“Alright, I’ll let you finish your breakfast. I’ll see you both at the gate.”

She gave them a little wave as she walked out of the cafe with her coffee.

Once she was out of sight, Ben turned to Rey and stared her down.

“What?” she asked.

“You are not going to tell her about--”

Her face flushed, “No, Ben. Don’t worry, our sex life will remain between us.”

He smiled at his blushing wife. She looked so cute.

“Okay, good,” he replied as he lowered his mouth over hers.

Ben deepened the kiss, sliding his tongue into her mouth. He kissed her passionately only pulling away to catch his breath and blush at the attention they gathered from the other patrons. Ben felt his face flush, sometimes he just couldn’t help himself-- he really loved his wife, and her pretty, pink lips.

God he really wanted to fuck her right now.

They threw away their trash and walked to towards the gate. Ben held her hand and whispered in her ear all of the dirty things he wanted to do to her once they got to Guatemala. Her cheeks turned pink at his admissions. Ben smiled wickedly as he snuck a hand into the back pocket of her jeans.

His wife has a lovely ass, he thought.

Once they had gotten to the gate, Ben noticed that his father and Finn were already waiting along with Jessika. Finn ran up to Rey and gave her a big hug. Han walked over and hugged Ben before pulling back and bringing their foreheads together.

“You ready for this kid?” Han asked.

“Yeah, I’m ready for this. Are you ready old man? You aren’t as young as you used to be.”

“Hey now, I’m still in shape.” Han said as he patted his stomach.

Bed had to give it to him, his father was nearly 70 years old but still very fit.

Finn came up to him next. Ben stuck his hand out for Finn to shake, but the shorter man had other plans as he surprised him with a hug. Ben wrapped his arms around Finn’s shoulders and squeezed lightly. When Finn finally released him, Ben looked up to see the amused look upon Rey’s face. She looped their arms together and led him over to some empty chairs while they waited for the plane to start boarding.

Soon enough the plane started boarding. Ben and Rey got to their seats and buckled up while they waited for the rest of the passengers to board. Han was across the aisle from them while Jessika and Finn were a few rows back.

Rey grabbed his bicep and held on tightly in her usual way. Still so nervous on planes; he wondered if she would ever be comfortable flying.

“It’s alright sweetheart,” he whispered in her ear. “I’ve got you.”

She turned his face so their lips met and gave him a deep kiss. When she pulled away, she met his eyes and smiled up at him.

“I know you do,” she said.

They heard a cough from across the aisle. Ben turned and glared at his father who was smirking at them.

Han mouthed _get a room_ to them before opening up his newspaper and hiding his face behind the pages.

Ben rolled his eyes and turned to look at Rey again.

“I can’t help it if my wife is hot,” he said, loud enough for his father to hear before he kissed her again.

The flight attendant started to walk down the aisle, checking to make sure everybody was buckled and ready for flight. Within minutes the pilot came on the intercom to let them know that they were about to depart.

***

The flight was relatively uneventful. Ben spent most of the time rubbing his hand up and down Rey’s thigh while talking to her about what their expedition would be like during this travel. They were going to the ancient Mayan ruins of Tikal.

Ben pulled out a few books he had brought, thumbing through them and showing Rey excerpts he found interesting. It was one way to keep his mind off of the beautiful woman holding on to his arm.

Before he knew it, they were landing. Rey, once again, held his arm in her death grip while the plane descended.

Once they had landed, Ben helped Rey to stand up, placing a hand on her lower back as he led her out of the plane. They waited by the gate for the rest of their group to depart.

“Alright,” Han clapped his hands together, “are we ready to head to the hotel?”

Ben smirked to himself. Yes, he was _very_ ready to be at the hotel. He pulled Rey a little closer into his chest.

The five of them got their luggage from baggage claim and made their way through customs. Ben felt like it was taking an extraordinarily long time; however, it was probably the simple fact that he was so turned on by his wife and unable to ravish her like he wanted to do.

***

Han had gotten the rental car and ushered the rest of them over to put their luggage in the trunk. Ben took the front seat as his father got behind the wheel. Rey sat behind him and next to Jessika who sat in the middle of Rey and Finn.

Ben reached back between the seats and grabbed onto Rey’s foot, tickling her as the car jolted into motion.

They had flown into Guatemala City, which was a good nine hours from the Tikal national forest. The drive to the hotel was breathtaking despite the length. The mixture of architecture and rainforests was a sight to behold. Ben was impatient as the hours ticked by. He was more than ready to retire to his room and curl up beside his wife.

Finally, after what felt like decades, they had arrived at the hotel. Las Lagunas Boutique was a gorgeous hotel with rooms overlooking the Guatemalan rainforests. Upon arrival, Ben made his way over to the front desk gave them his name.

“I have a suite for Mr. and Mrs. Solo,” the concierge said with a smile.

Ben grabbed the key cards and said, “gracias,” before moving out of the way so the others could check in.

Ben told his father that they would catch up with everybody in a few hours for dinner. Han waved them off as he got his own key card. Ben grabbed Rey’s hand and walked them over to the elevator. When they finally reached their room, Rey gasped at the view from their balcony. There was a hammock on the balcony that he wanted to curl up with her on at some point during this trip.

He grabbed her around the waist and hefted her up over his shoulder.

“Ben, what are you--”

He slapped her jeans covered ass before depositing her on the bed.

“I’ve been a very patient man, Rey. Don’t make me wait any longer.”

He popped the button of her jeans and eased down the zipper.

“I want you,” he added.

She kissed him as she pushed his shirt up and over his head.

“I want you too.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The hotel is real http://www.laslagunashotel.com
> 
> They probably could have flown into Belize tbh, but I wanted to torture horny Ben. 
> 
> Thank you to my beta Nori! You're amazing!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They were a tangle of limbs as Ben pressed heated kisses into Rey’s neck. His hands snuck underneath her top, feeling the smooth skin of her taut stomach.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut and fluff. Next chapter will get into the plot.

They were a tangle of limbs as Ben pressed heated kisses into Rey’s neck. His hands snuck underneath her top, feeling the smooth skin of her taut stomach.

“I want to see your tits,” he groaned into her neck.

“I’m sure you have them committed to memory,” she snarked.

“Don’t care,” he mumbled as he lifted her body up and into his lap. He pulled her top off in one swift motion.

His hands fell over her covered breasts and groped them eagerly.

“Off,” he demanded. She reached around her back and unclasped her bra, pulling it off and holding it away from her body before dropping it to the floor.

Ben lunged at her, tackling her into the mattress and sucking her breast into his mouth. He bit into her skin causing her to whine beneath him. And those little moans sent blood rushing straight to his cock.

He couldn’t help but rut against her, he was so pent up. The little minx, she always knew how to drive him wild with lust.

“How do you want it,” he asked.

Her eyes rolled into the back of her head as he ground his hips against hers.

“Fuck Ben,” she whimpered.

She moved her lips to brush against the shell of his ear as she whispered. “I want… I want you to fuck me… from behind.”

Ben stopped his hips and muffled a groan in between her breasts. He started unbuttoning her jeans with haste, pulling them down her legs and off of her body.

“Get on all fours,” he said.

She obeyed, looking over her shoulder as she arched her back, giving him a wonderful view of her lace covered ass.

Normally he liked to look into her eyes as they made love, but Rey wanted it like this. And he would be lying if it didn't excite him.

She arched her back again as he rubbed his hand over her bare asscheek. Ben pulled his hand back and slapped her bottom.

He leaned over her and kissed down her spine until his lips hovered over the band of her panties. He grabbed them between his teeth and started pulling them off her body. He let out a growl as he exposed her pussy to the cool air of the hotel room.

He buried his mouth against her already slick folds as he licked her thoroughly.

“Ben!” she yelped.

He pulled away and grabbed her hips.

“Sorry sweetheart. I was just making sure you were nice and wet. Stay right there.”

He stood by the end of the bed and discarded his clothes. When he climbed back onto the bed he pressed one finger inside of her and teased her g-spot.

“Ben, stop teasing me.”

Well, he didn’t need anymore encouragement. Ben took himself in hand and gave his cock two swift pulls before lining himself up with her entrance. He pushed himself inside of her, finally being enveloped in her tight core. He would never tire of this, never tire of her.

Ben began thrusting, feeling her ass slap against his thighs. And when he looked down between their bodies he could see his dick moving in and out of her. He rather liked the sight.

“That’s it, there’s my sexy girl.”

“Fuck yes,” she moaned.

Ben snuck his hand around and started rubbing circles around her clit. He could feel her tighten around him as he worked her to her orgasm.

“Come on sweetheart, come for me.”

Her walls clenched tightly around him and began to flutter, milking him of his own release. He shouted as he pumped into her, shooting ropes of his come into her tight little pussy.

“Unbelievable,” he said as he fell forward on top of her.

“Liked that, did you?” Rey asked.

Ben pulled out and turned her around so he could finally look into her deep hazel eyes.

“I like _you_.”

She laughed before responding, “I like you too.”

***

Ben put on a nice pair of jeans and a black button up shirt. Rey was in the shower; he had wanted to join her but decided he would let her have some time to herself. He all but jumped her as soon as they had gotten to their room.

Ben heard the water turn off and a few moments later Rey padded across the hardwood floors in nothing but a towel. She pulled at the suitcase that had been thrown under the bed in their haste.

“Hey, let me help.” Ben insisted.

He grabbed the suitcase and placed it on the bed, unzipping the top and opening it up for his wife.

She began riffling through their clothing until she found what she wanted.

Ben watched as she dropped the towel and leaned over to step into a purple lacy thong. He licked his lips at the sight.

She pulled on a pair of tight jeans and hurriedly threw on a blue backless halter top.

“You look beautiful,” he said as he kissed her cheek.

“Thank you Ben,” she replied. “Can you brush my hair?”

He nodded his head with affirmation as he led her over to the bed. He sat on the mattress, pulling Rey down onto his lap. She handed him the brush and he started to brush through her wet tresses. This was one of his favorite things to do and he had a feeling Rey liked it just as much as he did.

“What would you like today sweetheart?”

“French braid,” she replied.

He worked his nimble fingers, weaving her hair into a french braid down the back of her head. Once he was finished, he pressed a kiss to her cheek.

“Ready to meet everyone for dinner?”

She turned in his embrace and pressed a lingering kiss to his lips.

“I am now.”

***

They met with Han, Jess, and Finn at the hotel restaurant. They were seated at a table by large bay windows overlooking the the rainforests.

Ben pulled out the chair for Rey and sat down beside her, interlacing their fingers beneath the table.

“How was your nap?” Han smirked.

Ben felt his cheeks flush at the memory of their nap.

“Just as I thought,” Han chuckled.

Ben gave him a warning glare. His father hid his mouth behind his hand as he stifled another laugh. Suddenly he felt Rey release his hand, opting for squeezing his knee instead. This was her way of telling him to relax. He smiled at her before addressing the group.

“We need to be at the excavation site early tomorrow morning. We are meeting with some local archaeologists. I spoke with one on the phone back in New York. Mr. Dameron will meet with us in front of the pyramid of Tikal.”

Jess took a sip of her soda and cleared her throat, “What exactly are we working on this time around?”

Rey met his eyes and smiled, “It is mainly researched based. We will be walking through the ruins and speaking to the local archaeologists about their recent finds. Mr. Dameron did mention an excavation site that he could use our help with.”

“And no stealing bracelets,” Finn joked.

Jess rolled her eyes. “That was three years ago, we have all grown up since then.”

Ben put his arm around Rey’s shoulders and leaned in to whisper in her ear. He was telling her some mindless fact about the ancient Mayas. His thumb rubbed across the bared skin of her shoulder. And she looked at him with such awe, it made his heart sing.

It wasn't long before their food was dropped off at the table. Ben was starved and he could imagine Rey felt the same way. His Rey loves her food.

Both Ben and Rey got the same dish; seasoned chicken with white rice and black beans. They got an order of the fried plantains to share. Ben chuckled as Rey dug into her food, savoring every bite.

After they had finished their meal and had paid their check, they told the rest of the group ‘goodnight’ before taking a walk around the grounds.

The humidity made it difficult to breathe, but that didn't stop Ben from holding Rey’s hand as they walked along the wooden ramps overlooking the rainforests. The path was lit by various tiki torches.

They stopped at a spot with a bench and sat down, listening to the sounds of nature and looking up at the stars above.

Rey rested her head on his shoulder as he traced his fingers on her exposed back.

She looked tired, her eyes fluttered closed as she breathed in a deep breath.

“No rest for the wicked?”

She cracked a smile as she responded, “you certainly are wicked.”

“Are you ready for this? Another adventure? Perhaps we should take a break after this trip, concentrate on each other.”

He pulled her into his chest, grabbing her thigh and pulling it over his lap.

“Yeah, maybe.” She said as she pressed a kiss to his cheek.

“This is so exciting, being here-- with you.” He kissed her lips, “my wife.”

“Did you know that the name Tikal is thought to be derived from the Yucatec Maya language? It roughly translates to watering hole.”

“Really?” Rey asked as she yawned. “I'm sorry, I really am interested. I'm just exhausted.”

“I can't imagine why,” he smirked.

She playfully slapped his chest. “It's your fault. You insatiable man.”

“You love it,” he grasped her face and brought her lips to his. “You love me.”

“I do,” she smiled.

“Anyway,” he said as he placed a hand on her lower stomach. “How are we to ensure pregnancy without a lot of practice?”

She threw her head back as she laughed.

“Incredible, you know we have only _just_ started talking about starting a family. That doesn't mean we should jump right into it.”

“Picture it Rey, a little Ben running around digging in the sand, finding his first artifact. I picture him with my hair and your eyes.”

“And what makes you think it would be a he. What if we have a little Rey first?”

“Well then, she won't be allowed to date until she's 30. And she will definitely be a daddy’s girl.”

“How many do you want Ben?”

He thought about it for a few minutes before answering.

“I want at least one boy and one girl. Three kids at the most, I would think.”

“I would like that.”

Rey let out another yawn as her eyes fluttered closed.

“Come on sweetheart, let's get you to bed. We have an early morning and a long day tomorrow.”

He stood and offered Rey his hand. She reached her arms out to him like a child and pouted.

“Carry me?”

“Yes, of course, my bride.”

He scooped her up into his arms and carried her back across the wooden ramps. She pressed her nose into his neck and nuzzled him there.

Once they got to the front of the hotel, Ben put Rey back down on her feet and opened the door for her, ushering her in with his hand on her lower back.

They made their way over to the elevators and as the doors closed, Rey wrapped her arms around his waist and closed her eyes.

“Don't fall asleep yet sweetheart, we are almost there.”

Ben led her back to their room and placed her gently on their bed. He began undressing her and grabbed a pair of her pajamas from the suitcase.

He dressed her quickly and tucked her into the bed before changing into his own sleep pants and climbing in to join her.

Ben wrapped his arms around her and pressed his nose to her hair, inhaling her scent.

He loved having her in his arms. Her warm body pressed against his. Ben traced patterns on her stomach as he nestled himself into the pillows.

“You know, I really love you.”

He turned her face so she was looking at him once more before falling to sleep.

“And I really love you Rey. Sleep tight sweetheart.”

He gave her a long lingering kiss on the lips.

“Goodnight Ben,” she said as she closed her eyes.

Tomorrow would be the start of a new adventure. A new journey. Their first excavation as husband and wife.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you Nori for being a super for beta. 
> 
> Thank you to Shwtlee for helping with this chapter!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The sounds of the rainforest were soothing. He could hear the sound of birds singing and insects buzzing, Ben could swear that he heard the sound of crashing water. He wondered if there was a waterfall around, and if there was, he wanted to find it and take Rey there one afternoon. 
> 
> Han pulled off into a clearing where the Tikal pyramid and ruins stood out. Ben turned around to look at Rey’s face at the exact moment that she took in the sight of the pyramid. Her bright hazel eyes widened with awe at the structure.

Ben woke up bright and early the next morning with Rey’s warm body curled into his side. He kissed her temple and continued to leave featherlight kisses along her cheek until her eyes began to flutter open.

“Good morning sweetheart,” Ben said as he kissed her lips. “Are you ready for today?”

Rey grunted as she attempted to bury her head back into the pillows.

“Nope,” Ben said as he tickled her sides.

She erupted into a fit of giggles, slapping at him playfully.

“Fine, Ben, I’m awake.”

“Join me in the shower?” Ben said with a smirk.

“Of course,” she replied.

***

They met up with Han, Finn, and Jessika in the hotel lobby to grab a quick breakfast. There wasn’t much of an adjustment to be made with travel this time around. Guatemala was only two hours behind Eastern Standard Time. Although they were all tired from the flight and drive to get to Tikal, they were also eager to visit the ruins.

Their hotel was a short hour long drive to the Tikal National Park. It was a close distance to two other archaeological sites, the Uaxactún and the Yaxhá. Their primary focus on this trip was the preservation of these sites, as well as research purposes.

The drive started off on the main road, Ben rolled the window down and let the humid air flow through their rental car. Soon the terrain has turned into a dense rainforest and he knew that they were getting close.

The sounds of the rainforest were soothing. He could hear the sound of birds singing and insects buzzing, Ben could swear that he heard the sound of crashing water. He wondered if there was a waterfall around, and if there was, he wanted to find it and take Rey there one afternoon.

Han pulled off into a clearing where the Tikal pyramid and ruins stood out. Ben turned around to look at Rey’s face at the exact moment that she took in the sight of the pyramid. Her bright hazel eyes widened with awe at the structure.

“It’s beautiful isn’t it sweetheart?” he found himself whispering.

She nodded her agreement.

Han parked the car and they started climbing out. In the distance, Ben saw a short man with dark wavy hair speaking to a group of archaeologists. That was probably Mr. Dameron, Ben mused.

Ben grabbed Rey’s hand and walked towards the group of archaeologists. The short man turned and smiled at them as they approached.

“You must be Dr. Ben Solo. I’m Poe, Poe Dameron. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Good to meet you Mr. Dameron.” Ben replied as he shook his hand.

“Please, I insist that you call me Poe.”

Ben chuckled as he looked at their group and started introducing each of them to Poe.

“This is my wife Rey, my father Han, Finn Samuel, and Jessika Pava.”

Poe greeted them each with a welcoming smile. He motioned for them to follow him as he showed them around the grounds.

“My team of archaeologists concentrate on the preservation of these sites. We are studying archaeological conservation. What we will have your group do is to help us with the preservation while you record the research findings.”

“I do hope we can be of help,” Ben said.

“Oh we are always appreciative of any help thrown our way. As you can see, we only have a small group of archaeologists. Often times we try to get volunteers to help with the preservation.”

Rey squeezed his hand and smiled at him as they continued to walk the grounds of the ruins. Poe led them to the pyramid of Tikal and asked if they wanted to climb the stairs to the top. Everybody seemed eager to climb to the top, wanting to see the view of the Guatemalan rainforests from the top of the pyramid.

Ben was sweating profusely by the time they reached the top, the humid air making it difficult to breath at the altitude. He brushed his hand through his hair, pushing it out of his eyes in the process.

The view however, was worth all of the effort to get to the top of the pyramid. When they looked out across the expanse of rainforests, you could see in the horizon where the sun was beginning to rise. It painted the sky a beautiful pink.

“Hey Solo,” Ben turned when he heard Jessika call out so candidly. “Put your arm around your wife so I can get a picture of the two of you.”

Ben wrapped Rey up in his arms and smiled as Jessika snapped a picture with her phone.

“Perfect, I’ll text this to you Rey. It’s perfect, look.”

Rey walked over to look at Jessika’s phone and smiled at her friend.

“It is perfect Jessika, thank you.”

Poe cleared his throat to gather their attention.

“Would you like for me to take one of all of you together?”

“Actually,” Han said, “that would be great.”

The group slid in together, Ben having one arm around his father’s shoulders and the other around Rey’s. Jessika attached herself to Han’s side, with Finn on the other side of her. Ben felt his father tense up as Jessika pressed her side into his. Ben chuckled, the girl still made his father uncomfortable. In reality, Han was nothing more than her idol. Ben had a feeling that Jessika liked to make Han feel uneasy. She was a funny one. But anybody that could knock his father off kilter was quite alright in Ben’s book.

Poe led them back down to the entrance of the pyramid, allowing them to take a look inside. The temple itself was made of stone and consisted of various dark caverns. The only light that shined through were the few window cut outs in some of the rooms. Poe excused himself and told them that they could take however long they wanted to explore the temple.

“Come on Finn,” Jessika called out as she started to run down one of the corridors.

“Hey,” Ben said.

“Don’t worry Solo. I won’t _steal_ anything.”

Ben warily turned away from Finn and Jessika as they made their way out of sight. He turned to look at her and then to his father.

“Oh fine, I don’t want to be a third wheel anyway,” Han grumbled as he made for the entrance of the pyramid.

Rey laughed as he left.

“I wasn’t going to ask him to leave,” Ben said as he grabbed Rey’s waist. “But now that he’s gone.”

He pressed a kiss to her lips, nipping at her lower lip. She wrapped her arms around his neck and sunk her fingers into his hair.

“I love you Ben Solo,” she confessed. “But I really want to check out this temple.”

Ben pulled away from Rey’s lips and smirked at her.

“My how the times have changed,” he taunted. “I think I remember a time when you _wanted_ me to fuck you against the wall of a pyramid.”

“Stop it, like you didn’t throw me against the floor of the Parthenon in Greece and fuck me until the sun rose the next morning.”

Ben smiled at the memory. It was the trip they had gone on after they had returned from Sakai, Japan.

“I quite liked that,” Ben said with a smirk. “I think we should defile every temple we visit. That’s kind of our thing.”

“You are incorrigible. I’m not having sex with you right now.” Rey laughed.

“Not now, but maybe later?”

She slapped his chest and walked into one of the corridors. Ben followed behind as he chuckled.

He caught up to her and grabbed her hand, kissing her knuckles in apology. He could barely see her features in the darkened hallway, but he knew she was smiling at him. Ben pulled out a lighter and walked ahead of them until they reached a room in the far corner of the pyramid.

The room had a stone cut out allowing natural light to flood in. Ben pocketed his lighter and walked over to the window, looking out at the jungles below.

“It really is beautiful,” Rey said as she squeezed in beside of him.

“That it is,” he replied as he looked into her eyes.

He couldn’t help the flutter of his heart when he looked at his wife. The love of his life. He circled his thumb along the jut of her hipbone as he leaned down and pressed his forehead against hers.

“Oh sweetheart, I really love you.”

Her cheeks turned a lovely shade of pink, complimentary of the sunrise they watched at the top of the pyramid.

“Never stop telling me that.”

He brought his lips to hers and kissed her deeply. Ben moved her back against the wall and started devouring her mouth. He grabbed her leg and pulled it up around his hip as he groped her ass. He kissed his way down her neck and latched on to her pulse point, he began sucking a bruise when suddenly they heard a voice whispering down the corridors of the temple. Ben pulled away from Rey’s neck and listened intently.

“What was that?” Rey asked.

Ben shook his head. It hadn’t sounded like the voices of Finn or Poe. He still had his hands on Rey’s bottom as they both stared out at the doorway. Ben released her and walked towards the corridor.

He felt Rey grasping his arm as she caught up to him. Once they walked out into the hallway they heard the whispers again.

_Yum Cimil._

“What’s that, Ben?”

“What the fuck?” he called out, anger setting in. Was this a joke?

He grabbed Rey’s hand and started racing down the corridor to the entrance of the pyramid. The sun blinded him as he walked out into the bright sun. Han was standing with Poe, talking animatedly about _god only knows_ what.

“Poe Dameron,” Ben yelled.

Poe dashed over to them.

“Hey Dr. Solo, did you like the temple?”

Ben laughed mockingly.

“What kind of stunt was that?” he questioned.

“Ben,” Han warned.

Poe furrowed his brow as he took in the anger on Ben’s face.

“I don’t know what you are talking about, I’m so sorry. What happened?”

Ben tried to calm the anger coursing through his veins. It would do them no good to start pointing fingers. It was probably one of the other archaeologists trying to poke fun at them.

“Somebody was whispering in the temple. They said _Yum Cimil._ ”

Poe’s eyes widened when he heard the words that escaped Ben’s mouth.

“Ay dios mio,” Poe said as he held his head in his hands.

Rey tugged at Ben’s arm adamantly.

“Ben,” she called out impatiently. “What on earth does Yum Cimil mean?”

He sighed as he grabbed her face in his hands, looking into her hazel eyes.

“It is the Maya god of death,” he answered.

Finn and Jessika burst out of the temple, holding each other's arms and laughing as they met the rest of them.

“So it was you,” Ben snapped at the two of them. Pointing at them with malice.

“What are you talking about?” Finn asked with clear shock written on his face.

Ben gripped his hands into fists. He was ashamed that he kept accusing people of playing tricks without any evidence to back up his claims. He really didn’t want to believe something supernatural was going on at this temple. That’s the last thing he would need.

“I’m sorry, I’m a little on edge,” Ben apologized.

“Dr. Solo,” Poe called out.

“Yes, um call me Ben. Ben is fine.”

“Ben, I think you should know. The name ti ak’ al is locally translated as _the place of the voices_. It is quite common to hear strange voices in the temple. But I've never heard them utter _Yum Cimil_.”

“What's that mean?” Jessika asked.

Finn’s eyes bugged out as he answered, “Maya god of death. Oh hell no… not this again.”

“Relax, it means nothing,” Ben snapped. “Somebody is clearly playing a joke on us. Alright, we all got a great laugh out of this. Let's get to work.”

He heard his father scoff behind him as he addressed Poe.

“Always the skeptic that one, you would think he would change his mind after our Egypt trip.”

Ben turned and glared at his father.

“What? It's not a secret that some heebie jeebie shit went down in Egypt.”

Ben grabbed his tools and made his way over to the small excavation site at the far end of the grounds.

 _Somebody was playing a practical joke_. He insisted.

He felt the tender touch of Rey’s fingers on his bicep. He turned around and looked into his wife's face. His wife that believed very much in the supernatural.

“Ben,” she began.

He closed the distance and kissed her lips.

“I know, sweetheart. Don't be afraid. I feel it too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my beta Nori! 
> 
> Nerd links... 
> 
> Maya mythology 
> 
> http://www.mythencyclopedia.com/Le-Me/Mayan-Mythology.html
> 
> Greece archeological sites 
> 
> https://www.google.com/amp/greece.greekreporter.com/2015/06/24/greeces-top-10-archaeological-sites/amp/
> 
> Archaeological conservation 
> 
> https://www.conservation-us.org/specialty-topics/archaeological-conservation#.WX9wnUEpCEc


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He looked down at her through the hair that had fallen into his eyes. He liked that he could make her feel better, even if it was just a distraction. He let his hand rub up and down her back as he pressed a kiss to her temple.
> 
> Ben ran his nose along her jawline and feathered kissed across her cheek until he reached her pretty pink lips. 
> 
> “We should get back to work,” Rey said, tangling her fingers in his hair at the nape of his neck. 
> 
> Ben groaned but acquiesced. They did have work to do.

Ben walked over to the small excavation site set off at the back corner of the grounds. The dense rainforest was directly behind the small area that had been marked off for the dig. Rey joined him soon after and dropped to her knees, using the soft hand brush to sift through the soil. Poe had mentioned that they found fragments of pottery in this particular area, and that was what Ben decided to spend the morning concentrating on.

“You okay sweetheart?”

She looked up from her work and gave him a weak smile.

“I’m fine Ben.”

Ben kneeled beside of her and started using his hand pick to dig at the rocky area in the soil. They worked in relative silence.

Across the grounds, Ben saw that Finn had pulled out his laptop and began typing his research notes. It never ceased to amaze him that Finn soaked up knowledge like a sponge. Jessika and Han had begun working on the outside of the pyramid, taking photos of areas that needed to be restored.

Ben returned his gaze back to his wife, who was still looking distressed after their encounter in the pyramid. He wanted to put her mind at ease, assure her that they would be fine. He cleared his throat to catch her attention.

“Did you know that the Mayas believed that humans were nourishment to the gods? Often times they would give their blood as an offering.”

She looked up and met his eyes.

“What did they get in return?”

“I’m not sure… guidance, knowledge?”

She smiled as she continued to work.

“Are you trying to make me feel better?”

“Is it working?” he asked.

She scooted over and leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder.

“Thank you,” she said as she pressed a kiss on the side of his neck.

He looked down at her through the hair that had fallen into his eyes. He liked that he could make her feel better, even if it was just a distraction. He let his hand rub up and down her back as he pressed a kiss to her temple.

Ben ran his nose along her jawline and feathered kissed across her cheek until he reached her pretty pink lips.

“We should get back to work,” Rey said, tangling her fingers in his hair at the nape of his neck.

Ben groaned but acquiesced. They _did_ have work to do.

***

They took a break for lunch, there was a restaurant near the front of the Tikal National park called ‘Comidor Imperio Maya.’ It would have been a short 5 minute drive if they had decided to take their rental car; however, Ben and Rey along with the others in their group, decided they wanted to walk the grounds and enjoy the breathtaking scenery.

Ben had his arm wrapped around Rey’s waist as they walked and admired the lush vegetation of the rainforests. Poe had taken off for lunch as well, leading them towards the local restaurant.

The restaurant was a small outdoor cantina style with a thatched roof. It was open, allowing natural light and a warm breeze. There was a bar near the kitchen. Upon walking in, a gentleman called out to them, letting them know they could sit wherever they would like.

After sitting down and each of them grabbing the menus from the center of the table, Poe explained what each item of food consisted of. He was very helpful in translating the menu for them. Ben read the menu with ease. He was far better at reading than speaking the Spanish language.

Poe and Finn engaged in a deep discussion about the conservation of the rainforests. Jessika was eying the bar while Han stared at his menu, squinting.

“Need some bifocals?” Ben snarked.

“I left them in the rental car. Getting old is overrated.”

Ben laughed as he slung his arm over the back of Rey’s chair. The server came over and took their orders and was back momentarily with their drinks. Ben guzzled down his bottled water. The humidity was intense in Guatemala. It would take a few days to get accustomed to it.

Poe suggested they order somewhat of a brunch. _Huevos revueltos con frijoles y platinos_. Scrambled eggs with beans and plantains. After looking over the menu, everybody seemed to agree with Poe’s suggestion.

The food came quickly and they ate in silence, testament that they were all starving after the morning hours of working in the sun.

The server came back to clear their dishes and offered them a rum tasting.

“Oh, please. That would be amazing,” Jessika said as she looked at Ben for his approval.

Ben sighed as he thought about it. “Fine, it’s just a tasting. No more than one shot each of you-- you can drink back at the hotel tonight.”

“Loosen up a little. You are always on edge,” Han snarked.

“I agreed didn’t I?” Ben rolled his eyes at his father.

Turning towards Rey, Ben whispered in her ear to let her know she looked beautiful. She blushed but couldn’t help the smile that lifted at his words. Once the server came back, he held up the bottle of rum for them to admire. The label read _Zacapa Centario._

They each were given a shot glass filled with the amber liquid.

“To Tikal,” Finn said as he lifted the shot glass. They each lifted their own and knocked back the shots. It burned his throat on the way down, but damn if it wasn’t some good alcohol.

***

The walk back towards the site was filled with his father's grumblings. In retrospect they probably _should_ have taken their rental car. The humidity on top of their full stomachs was making everyone irritable.

Once they had gotten back to the site, they each went back to the tasks they were working on before breaking for lunch.

Ben and Rey began digging, pulling out small fragments of pottery and setting them aside. Ben was concentrating intently on a particular shard of rock that was wedged into the soil.

He furrowed his brow as he continued to work, only being broken from his concentration when he felt Rey’s hand gripping his bicep.

“Do you hear that?” she asked.

Ben stopped his digging and listened-- there was something whispering and calling out to them. Rey stood up and began walking into the rainforest. Ben quickly caught up to her and grabbed her hand.

He felt a pull, it was as if they were being compelled to walk further into the terrain. They pushed past thick vegetation and dense jungles. Sweat trickled down his neck and he could see Rey breathing heavily. _Why were they doing this again? Where were they going?_

Ben felt a little lightheaded and wondered if the alcohol had gone straight to his bloodstream. That had to be the reason that he felt so funny. That had to be the reason his whole body felt tingly.

The further they walked into the rainforest, the more his body vibrated with sensation. It was almost as if he was being drawn to something.

It seemed to appear out of nowhere, an old ruin with stone statues guarding the front of it. The temple-- or whatever this had been-- was nothing but a pile of rubble. Rey ran over to the statues and examined them.

“Ben, do you know who these statues are depicting?”

He walked over to join her and looked at the statues.

“To me it looks like the god of the heavens, Itzamńa. And this one-- that’s his wife, Ixchel, the goddess of fertility.”

“Why do you think this has never been discovered? It isn’t on the map. It doesn’t make any logical since does it?” Rey asked.

“I’ve no idea, we should probably tell the others. They need to see this. It’s extraordinary.”

Rey walked over to the ruins and kneeled beside of them.

“Can’t we stay for just a little while longer before we go back? There is something about this spot that feels… right.”

“Alright Rey. Let’s take a look around.”

The area was no larger than their hotel suite. Behind the pile of rubble there was a cave that had been hidden from sight. Ben walked towards it and moved the vines out of the way of the mouth of the cave. Rey grabbed his hand and pulled him away from the cave.

“What are you doing, you don’t know what’s in there.” she said.

“That’s what I intended to find out.”

“I have a bad feeling. Just don’t go in there.”

He looked at the top of the cave, it was a hole burrowed in the side of some exposed rock. Sighing, he walked away from the cave and towards the other side of the ruins. There was a fire pit on the far end of the ruins, and when Ben and Rey walked towards it they could smell the scent of burnt wood.

“Somebody would really use this?” she asked. “Who would do that in the middle of a rainforest?”

“I don’t know sweetheart. None of this seems to make any since. Are you ready to head back? We should get Poe out here to take pictures of these ruins.”

“Okay Ben, let’s go.”

***

They tried to mark their way back by carving into the bark of the trees with a knife. Soon they were walking out of the rainforests and back into the grounds. Ben immediately spotted his father who was walking by with his camera.

“And what were the two of you doing in _there_ ,” Han snarked. “You couldn’t keep it in your pants until you got back to the hotel son?”

Rey blushed and Ben glared at his father.

“For god's sake we were not doing _that_. We found some ruins back in there. Call the others over here and we will lead you all out to it. It’s incredible.”

“Wait, you’re serious. Ben this is extraordinary. Alright, hold on and I’ll get everybody over here.”

He walked off towards the pyramid and called out to Finn and Jessika.

“Samuel, Pava, get over here.”

Finn and Jessika walked over with Poe following behind.

“Ben and I found some ruins in the rainforest, you have to come see it. It isn’t too far out.” Rey said.

Poe looked confused, “Are you positive?”

“Yes, we marked the way. Bring the cameras. We need to document this.” she replied.

Ben and Rey led the way into the rainforests. They followed the path they created from the marked trees.

“You said this wasn’t very far,” Jessika complained, after they had been walking for twenty minutes.

“Well it didn’t seem very far originally,” Ben said.

They continued to follow the marked trees until they circled around and found themselves back at the grounds.

“How in the--” Ben said under his breath.

Poe rubbed his chin as he stated, “I didn’t think there were any ruins in there you two. I’ve been working here for years. I’ve been all over these rainforests. There isn’t anything that isn’t already documented.”

“But,” Rey started, “We were just there, we saw it. It was the temple of Itzamńa and Ixchel, right Ben?”

He placed his hand on her lower back and looked at the rest of the group. “We both saw it.”

Han slapped him on the back and replied, “I think both of you got too much sun today. That or you drank more of that rum without us knowing.”

Now that his father had mentioned it, his head was pounding, perhaps he had gotten too much sun. But no-- he knew what he saw, and Rey had seen it too. He grabbed Rey’s hand and walked her away from the others so he could speak to her privately.

“How is your head?” he asked.

“It’s killing me.” she said.

“Yeah mine too, I think it’s time to call it a day. Go back to the hotel and relax. What do you say?”

“I guess so. I can’t believe they don’t believe us. I can understand Poe’s skepticism, but everybody else-- after Egypt.”

Ben pulled Rey to his chest and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“I know sweetheart, we will just have to go looking again. Perhaps we will feel that pull towards it again. Anyway, I’m ready to get back to the hotel and take a shower.”

Rey rose to her toes and wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing a chaste kiss on the lips.

“Maybe we can try that outdoor shower,” she said with a smirk.

“Hmm,” he replied with a smirk of his own. “I do like the sound of _that_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you Nori, my wonderful beta. 
> 
> Nerd links... 
> 
> Maya mythology   
> http://www.mythencyclopedia.com/Le-Me/Mayan-Mythology.html#ixzz4onBQpD1B
> 
> Maya history   
> http://www.history.com/topics/maya
> 
> Rainforest conservation   
> http://rainforests.mongabay.com/1001.htm
> 
> The restaurant is real  
> https://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g292015-d7699693-i173694557-Comedor_Tikal-Tikal_National_Park_Peten_Department.html


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The drive back to the hotel was quiet, the only sound being the tires on the asphalt. Ben looked out his window at the little town they were driving through. He wracked his brain-- trying to figure out what he had just seen and what it could all mean. Had he really gotten too much sun? Had the alcohol messed with his perception? No, no it hadn’t. Because Rey had seen it too, she had felt what he felt. That strange tug that pulled them towards those ruins. It had to mean something.

The drive back to the hotel was quiet, the only sound being the tires on the asphalt. Ben looked out his window at the little town they were driving through. He wracked his brain-- trying to figure out what he had just seen and what it could all mean. Had he really gotten too much sun? Had the alcohol messed with his perception? No, no it hadn’t. Because Rey had seen it too, she had felt what he felt. That strange tug that pulled them towards those ruins. It had to mean something.

When they pulled up to the hotel, Ben jumped out of the rental car quickly, opening the back door to grab Rey’s hand and dragging her to their room without even acknowledging the rest of the group. He shut the door behind her and walked over to their bed, sitting on the edge and clutching his head.

“Ben,” Rey said, walking between his legs and pulling his head to her chest. She gently smoothed her fingers through his hair.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed a kiss to her sternum.

“Come on sweetheart, we should get cleaned up,” he said.

He rubbed his hands up and down her back beneath Rey’s shirt and gave her a little smirk.

“If I remember correctly sweetheart, you mentioned the outdoor shower.”

She smiled down at him and dipped to press a long, sensual kiss to his lips.

***

Ben wore a simple black pair of swim trunks and waited for his wife to finish getting changed. He slung a towel over his shoulder and pocketed the key card to their hotel room.

He heard the door to the bathroom open and his eyes widened at the sight of her. She was wearing a nude colored string tied bikini, the pattern weaved across her pert breasts, making his mouth water. And between her tits was a long chain with his crystal attached to it. The small rock settled in between her cleavage, drawing his attention. His eyes roamed down to the bottoms, which was barely a scrap of fabric covering her mound with side ties. It certainly left little to the imagination.

He swallowed hard. Her hair was tied up in a simple bun on the back of her head. And when she turned around to retrieve her towel, he noticed the bottoms of her bikini exposed the shapely curve of her ass. The nude color of the suit looked wonderful on her golden skin.

“You, uh, you are wearing that?” Suddenly he lost the ability to form words without mumbling.

“You don't like it?” She asked, eyes full of disappointment.

“What? No, of course I like it. I…I love it actually.”

She smiled, pleased with his approval.

Ben moved the towel from his shoulders and held it over his groin. His cheeks turned pink at his body's natural reaction to his sexy wife.

“I… um,” he stuttered.

“Don’t worry Ben,” she giggled, walking over to her suitcase and pulling out a black lace cover up.

He walked over to her and pulled her tightly to his chest, kissing her deeply and groaning into her mouth. His hands ran down her back to grasp her pert ass.   
He pulled away from her lips and smiled brightly down at her.

“How in the world did I get so lucky?” he asked.

“I think we are both lucky,” she replied with a wink.

***

Rey led him through the hotel grounds until she reached the hidden outdoor shower she had found while exploring. The area was nestled in a thicket of foliage, with a shower stall made out of bamboo. She pulled him quickly inside and wrapped her arms around his neck, capturing his lips in a searing kiss. He quickly rid her of the cover up and tossed their towels and toiletries on the wooden bench in the corner of the stall.

Ben fumbled with the shower knobs until the warm water began raining down on them. His hands moved up and down her slick body, grabbing a breast and squeezing lightly as his lips moved down her jaw to the column of her neck. Carefully, he walked her towards the bench, reaching down and grabbing the bottle of soap. He squeezed a small amount into his hands and rubbed them together until they made suds.

Ben rubbed his soapy hands over all of her exposed skin, making sure not to miss a spot and paying special attention to her peachy bottom. He watched as the soap slipped down her body towards the drain and he swallowed hard. He moved his hand to her upper back and pulled the top string of her bikini, exposing her breasts.

He groaned at the sight, grabbing the soap and squeezing a pea sized amount into his palm. He soaped up her breasts, pinching and tweaking her nipples as he went.

“I love your tits.”

He sealed his lips around one stiff peak and sucked hard. Her hands went straight to his wet locks and held him in place. He laved at her nipple, flicking the tip of his tongue against the bud. He released her breast and pulled the bottom string of her bikini, tossing the tiny top to the bench.

Ben cupped her breasts in his hands and thumbed over her nipples, causing Rey to rub her thighs together and moan. Gently, she pushed his back against the bamboo and pressed her body against his, kissing and nipping at his lips. Her breasts were pressed up against him, and her hard nipples made the blood rush to his cock. Then she was pulling away, turning towards the bench and squeezing some of the soap into her own hands.

“I think it’s time I return the favor,” she said with a devilish glint in her eyes.

She roamed her soapy hands up his solid chest and over his shoulders. Once she got to his lower back and around to his waist, she dipped her hand below the band of his swim trunks and wrapped it around his hardening cock. His head slammed back against the bamboo wall.

“Fuck, Rey.”

She moved her slick hand up and down his cock, teasing the head with her thumb. His eyes rolled into the back of his head as she gave his cock a few more tugs. Then she was slipping the swim trunk down his thighs.

She got to her knees in front of him, and gave the head of his cock a kiss. Her hands settled on the back of his knees as she took his erection in her mouth. He gently cupped the back of her head as she moved her mouth against him. He tugged at the little bun, releasing it from it’s tie and brushing his fingers through her wet tresses.

Releasing his dick with a slick pop, she moved down to run her tongue against his balls and up the shaft until she took him between her lips again. He could feel himself climbing already, but he didn’t want this to be over. He put his hands underneath her chin and pulled her away from him, his dick brushing her lower lip in the process.

He rubbed his thumb along the apple of her cheek. Ben pulled her up to standing and put his hand down her bikini bottom, swirling his thumb around her clit a few times before pulling his hand back out. He grabbed the side ties and pulled them. He grabbed her around the waist and carried her quickly to the bench.

He laid her out on the bench and settled himself between her thighs. The water was still cascading down their bodies, raining down on them from above in a long sheet of water much like a rain storm.

Ben pressed a kiss to her thigh and met her eyes before he descended upon her core. He plunged his tongue inside of her, tasting her slick folds. He swirled his tongue around her clit as she rocked her hips against his lips and tongue. He slipped to fingers between her folds and rubbed them against her g-spot.

“I need you,” she moaned.

He pulled away from her slick cunt and stood up. Ben held his hand out for her and she grabbed it, letting him help her up from the bench. He grabbed her around the waist and hefted her up into his arms. Her legs wrapped around his hips out of instinct.

Ben pushed her back up against the bamboo wall to steady her. He reached between their bodies and dragged the head of his cock through her slick folds, teasing her there for a moment.

“Ben please.”

He loved the sound of her voice moaning his name, so he gave her what she wanted-- what they both wanted, and thrusted himself inside her to the hilt.

She groaned as he bottomed out inside of her, wrapping her arms around his neck and holding him tightly. Ben grabbed her hips and began bodily slamming her up and down his cock.

And God, he loved the way her tits bounced with each thrust that he gave. He loved the way she bit her lower lip, trying to stay quiet. He loved the way her cheeks flushed, even though they had made love countless times throughout the years. He loved her, everything about her.

One of his hands remained on her waist, holding her steady, while the other cupped her ass and squeezed. He snuck a finger down to the tight pucker of her butt and fingered her. She gasped and her eyes widened. He hadn’t done that before. He had always wanted to.

“This okay?” he asked, furrowing his brow in concern.

“Yes, yes.”

He sped up his thrusts, knowing that he wouldn’t last much longer.

“Fuck Rey, I love you. I fucking love you.”

He stopped fingering her asshole and moved his hand up to her breast, pinching and pulling at her nipple. He felt her walls begin to flutter, that feeling of her tight pussy clenching around him, as her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she let out a lusty moan. He pounded into her once, twice, three more times-- and then he was spilling ropes of come deep inside of her.

Carefully, he pulled out of her and set her feet on the ground. He watched as his come slipped out of her pussy. He gathered it on his finger and pressed it back inside of her. Patting her cute little overworked pussy.

Quickly, they put their suits back on, washed their hair and shared heated kisses underneath the shower. Then they were toweling off and walking hand in hand with their basket of toiletries.

“You are amazing,” he whispered into her ear, while they waited for the elevator in the lobby of the hotel.

He placed a hand on her lower back and pushed her forward into the elevator. Absentmindedly he pressed the button for their floor and then caged her in against the corner of the elevator, capturing her lips in a long, passionate kiss.

The doors opened and they walked quickly back to their room. Once inside, they changed into jeans and t-shirts, not wanting to put on anything too uncomfortable when they were only going to be lounging around in their suite.

Ben settled himself down on the hammock, sipping a glass of pineapple juice as he watched the sun begin to set, painting the sky a dark purple. He looked off into the distance and saw some clouds moving in. The breeze picked up and the sky turned dark. _A storm must be moving in_ , he mused.

Rey joined him outside, climbing on top of him and resting her head against his heart. He wondered if she could hear how fast it beat for her. He rubbed his fingertips up and down her spine in a comforting caress.

“Are we going to talk about what happened at the site?” she mumbled into his chest.

He let out a tiny sigh before answering.

“I suppose we can go looking for the ruins again tomorrow. Unless this storm doesn’t blow over quickly.”

“Hmm,” she said contently.

He slipped his hand into the back pocket of her jeans and looked out at the storm rolling in. As if on cue, lightning stuck a few yards away and the crack of thunder could be heard off in the distance. Then a downpour of rain started pouring, the mist spraying them from where their spot on the hammock.

“I love to watch storms,” she mused.

“I do too sweetheart,” he said, as he breathed in the scent of rainfall and _Rey_.

He thought about the ruins they had come across earlier. The ruins of Itzamná and Ixchel. He watched the water fall from the sky as it rained down on the trees, dripping off of the leaves and cleansing _everything_.

It was beautiful. The soft sound of raindrops and the swirl of the wind. He relaxed, feeling the steady beat of Rey’s heart. And he knew-- he had a strong feeling, that their lives were about to change for the better. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you Nori, my wonderful beta.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The storm never let up, the rain thrashed against the glass doors leading to the balcony as lightning flashed and thunder rumbled. Ben sighed against Rey’s back, his arm wrapped around her waist. He pressed featherlight kisses to her neck and shoulders. Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled at him from over her shoulder. Ben leaned forward and pressed a long, sensual kiss to her lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning for mentions of human sacrifice and finding human remains.

The storm never let up, the rain thrashed against the glass doors leading to the balcony as lightning flashed and thunder rumbled. Ben sighed against Rey’s back, his arm wrapped around her waist. He pressed featherlight kisses to her neck and shoulders. Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled at him from over her shoulder. Ben leaned forward and pressed a long, sensual kiss to her lips.

“I don’t think we will be getting much work done today,” he stated at the same time that lightening flashed, casting a light in the darkened room.

Rey snuggled into his embrace, closing her eyes and twirling her fingers in the curly locks at the nape of his neck.

“We will have to set up some tarps to preserve the work we’ve already done,” she said.

“Mm, that’s true. I would be willing to bet Dameron has already started that.”

Ben brushed his nose along hers and pressed another kiss to her lips.

He rolled away from her body and walked over to the en suite to brush his teeth. Rey joined him moments later and grabbed her own toothbrush. They quickly got dressed and made their way to the lobby where breakfast was being served.

Rey claimed a table for the two of them while he got in line at the omelet station. Ben ordered their omelets, knowing just the way Rey like hers, then joined her at the table, sliding her plate towards her. He then walked over to the coffee machine and brewed them each a cup. He returned, holding the mugs in his hand and sat down across from his beautiful wife.

Ben was taking a sip of his coffee when he felt Rey’s slender foot brush up his calf. He choked on his coffee before setting the mug back down on the table. Then he caught her foot with the hand he previously had in his lap. His other hand joined the first, underneath the table. He massaged her ankle and trailed his fingertips over the silky skin of her leg.

“And you call me insatiable,” Ben snarked.

Rey giggled and bit her lip.

“I can’t help that I find my husband so sexy.”

She knew just what to say to drive him mad with lust. Always a tease.

Ben dropped Rey’s foot when his father appeared, scooting into the booth beside of him.

“Good morning,” Ben said.

Han looked out the windows at the rain pouring from the sky then turned back to Ben and smirked.

“If you say so. Listen, we need to get moving. Finn and Jessika are already ready to leave for Tikal.”

Ben nodded as he swallowed some of his omelet.

“Of course, we will be ready to go very soon.”

Han stood up and left them to finish their breakfast.

***

The local archaeologists were already setting up tarps and tents to shield the excavation sites from the torrential downpour. Ben noticed Poe running after some of his team and yelling at them over the sound of the rain to stay clear of the muddy steps on the outside of the pyramid.

It would certainly do nobody any good to tumble down those stone steps.

Ben held an umbrella over his and Rey’s heads, although it did little good with the angle the rain was coming down, soaking their shoes and socks thoroughly.

“Which one of you did a rain dance?” Poe chuckled as the group made their way towards the drenched man.

“Rain dance?” Jessika laughed.

“I’m just messing with you guys, it’s the rainy season here. It was bound to happen. Though I was hoping this tropical storm would pass us over quickly. Anyway, we could use your help setting up some more tents around the grounds. We need to protect the equipment.”

Ben and Rey walked over to the site they had been working on the day before, the tarps were already set up over the muddy soil. They worked together to set up the canopy to give them shelter from the rain, as well as a place to store the equipment.

Rey’s feet continued to slip in the mud forming around the site. Twice already, Ben had to grab her waist to steady her. They were both soaked to the bone despite their best efforts to stay dry. Rey shivered and Ben immediately pulled her to his chest.

“The rain is surprisingly cold, isn’t it?” Ben remarked.

Rey burrowed herself closer into his chest as she replied with a muffled noise of agreeance.

The wind began to pick up and Ben let go of Rey’s arms to secure the tarps that had come up. Rey joined him on her knees, and once they had finished securing the tarps, they noticed Han waving them over to the entrance of the large pyramid of Tikal. They hurried across the grounds, darting through the course rain until they walked through the entrance of the temple.

“Poe suggested we wait out the storm in here. The high speed winds are too dangerous to be walking around in. We will take refuge here until it blows over.”

“Where is he?” Ben found himself voicing.

“He and Finn went to one of the rooms to wring out their wet clothes.”

Jessika sat on the ground, squeezing the water out of her t-shirt. Her tank top underneath was relatively dry.

Rey shivered again, causing Ben to worry. He didn’t want her to get sick.

“I’m going to help Rey with her clothes,” Ben said out loud.

“Uh huh, sure.” Han said with a smirk.

Ben shot him a glare before leading Rey towards one of the rooms in the back corner of the temple.

Once Ben was sure they had some privacy, he helped peel Rey’s wet tank top off of her body. He squeezed the water out and laid the shirt flat on the ground. He then took his own shirt off and repeated the same motions.

Rey’s arms were crossed over her chest. Ben wrapped her in his arms and sat with his back against the temple wall. The skin on skin contact worked as a furnace to heat both of them thoroughly.

Rey let out a contented sigh as Ben pressed a kiss to her wet hair.

Ben maneuvered Rey in his lap to cradle her in his arms. Her arms immediately went around his neck. He brought his knees up and held her with one arm as he untied his boots and kicked both the boots and his socks off. He then did the same with Rey’s boots and socks.

He massaged her feet, getting the circulation to flow, her toes felt like ice against his palms.

“How long are we going to stay in here Ben?”

“When your lips aren’t blue and are back to your normal shade of pink.”

She huffed in frustration and tugged at his hair to gather his attention. He looked down into her hazel eyes. She looked up at him defiance.

“I am perfectly fine now Dr. Solo.”

He laughed at her double innuendo.

“Alright sweetheart, if you think you are warm enough we can put our wet shirts back on and return to the others.”

She pressed a gentle kiss to his brow and then his lips, pulling away with a glint in her eyes.

“We don’t have to go back just yet. We could stay here and kiss for a little while longer.”

Ben pulled her tighter against him and captured her lips, swallowing her little moans. Only _he_ was allowed to hear those sounds from her.

He placed her gently on the ground and settled himself on top of her. His tongue was in her mouth, he tasted the coffee she had for breakfast. Ben ran his hand over her bra and cupped her perfect breast in his hand, squeezing lightly.

His lips trailed down her jawline towards her neck where he started sucking a bruise into her pulse point.

He was just dipping his fingers beneath the cup of her bra, finding her stiff peak and pinching it between his thumb and forefinger, when he heard the _whispers_.

_Yum Cimil._

Ben sat back on his haunches as Rey pushed up in a sitting position, slapping at his hand that was still holding her breast.

He stood and walked quickly over to their shirts and tossed Rey’s to her. They pulled on their shirts and Rey ran over to grab his outstretched hand as they crept towards the door to the room.

Ben placed his hand on the wall of the temple and leaned his ear against the door, listening intently for the whispers. They were met with nothing but silence. Ben pressed off of the wall, feeling the stone beneath his hand push forward like a key locking into place.

“Shit,” he said, as the floor beneath them opened up and they fell into the darkness below.

***

Ben groaned, his entire body aching from the fall. He sat up and looked around, squinting his eyes to try to see in the pitch black of the room. He saw a flickering light in the corner of the room.

He felt around and called out for Rey. She groaned a few feet away from him. Ben crawled over to her and pulled her into his lap.

“Sweetheart, are you okay?”

She groaned again in response.

“Any broken bones? Just bumps and bruises? Tell me you are okay…”

“I’m fine Ben. Well not fine, but nothing broken. Nothing serious. Where the hell are we?”

Ben pushed up to his knees and grabbed for Rey’s hands, helping her up and wrapping his arm around her waist as he led her towards the flickering light. Once he got closer to the light, he noticed it was a torch. Picking it up, he surveyed his surroundings.

“I think we have fallen into the burial chamber of Jasaw Chan K’awiil. But something doesn’t feel right. It feels-- ominous.”

He walked over to the wall of the temple and shone the torch light on the glyphs carved into the wall.

“That’s odd,” he mused.

“What is it?” Rey asked, joining him at his side.

“It’s just… look at these glyphs. These should have been carved into the stone sometime during it’s construction which was-- what? 732 AD? But these, these are fresh.”

“How can you tell that?”

Ben brushed his fingers over the stone and showed her the dust that came off on his fingers, then he pointed towards their feet where more dust had collected from the recent carving.

“What do the glyphs say?”

He studied them for a moment, deciphering.

“I-- I don’t think it translates entirely. Let me see.”

He furrowed his brow as he continued to read.

“It’s uh. It says something to the extent of _Yum Cimil will not bow to Itzamná._ It makes sense, they were known as rival gods.”

Rey took the torch from his hand and walked around the room, letting out a yelp. Ben came running to her side, asking her what was wrong.

“Sorry, it’s just… I wasn’t expecting to see _that_ ,” she replied, grabbing his bicep and squeezing it hard.

Ben looked at what she was pointing to. It was a skeleton, the bones laid out strategically. It looked as if the human had once been bound to a stake. Ben covered his mouth with his hand as he felt nausea rise in his throat.

“Human sacrifice,” he choked out.

“Ben, please, I don’t want to be down here any longer. We need to get back up there and find the others. Tell them about this-- those bones…. Those remains-- they don’t look old.”

Ben took the torch from her hand and quickly ran around the room, searching for an exit. Near the back corner of the room, he found a hallway. He called out to Rey and she jogged to meet up with him.

The hallway led to a staircase. They walked up the stairs and breathed a sigh of relief when it opened up to the Great Plaza where Han and the others were sitting, watching the storm.

Han met Ben’s eyes and Ben motioned for him to come towards him. Ben walked away from prying eyes and whispered to his father.

“We have a problem.”

Han cleared his throat and crossed his arms across his chest.

“I’m listening.”

“We stumbled upon some remains. Human sacrifice, most likely disembowelment. Recent remains, dad.”

Han’s eyes widened as he brought his hand up to his head and held his temple.

Rey wrapped her arms around Ben’s waist as she spoke up, “We need to go to the authorities.”

“Yeah, yeah. We should probably inform Poe about this discovery,” Han said.

They looked over to where Poe was standing, talking with Finn animatedly about something, with a broad smile on his face. They were about to ruin his good mood. Ben’s stomach swelled with anxiety. He feared for his friends, he feared for his family, and all the innocent lives of the local archaeologists that were assigned to work on this restoration project.

The logical side of Ben was telling him that there was a murderer on the loose. One that took the rituals of the Maya history too seriously for the modern times.

But when he looked into the hazel eyes of his wife, Ben knew… he knew that something else was going on here. Something dubious, something _supernatural_. And if he were honest, it scared the ever living daylights out of him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you Nori <3 
> 
> Lots of nerd links for this chapter.... 
> 
> Yum Cimil:   
> http://mayanmythology.weebly.com/yum-cimil.html
> 
> Tikal Temple:   
> https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tikal_Temple_I
> 
> Human Sacrifice:   
> https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_sacrifice_in_Maya_culture


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The storm finally let up enough for the group to make their way back to the rental car. Han had pulled Poe aside and spoke with him about what Ben and Rey had found in the tombs. Human Remains.

The storm finally let up enough for the group to make their way back to the rental car. Han had pulled Poe aside and spoke with him about what Ben and Rey had found in the tombs. _Human Remains_.

Poe had promptly gone outside and called the local authorities. Han, Finn, and Jessika were willing to wait with Ben and Rey until the authorities spoke with them, but Ben insisted that they go back to the hotel. They could get a cab after speaking with the detectives.

Han waved to them as he got behind the wheel and drove out of the park and towards the main road.

Ben turned to Rey and wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing a kiss to her temple.

“You okay sweetheart?” he asked.

“I think so, just a little overwhelmed with everything that has happened today.”

Rey put her head on his shoulder and he ran his fingers through her still damp hair.

“Are you still cold?”

“A bit.” she admitted.

Ben ran his hands up and down her back and over her shoulders in an attempt to warm her.

Poe came out of the entrance to the pyramid, where Ben and Rey were standing, and brushed his hands down his pants.

“The authorities should be here any minute now,” Poe explained.

Ben nodded his head as he held Rey close. She turned in his arms and kissed his bicep.

“I hope they don’t make us go down there again,” Rey stated.

Ben grabbed Rey’s hand and brought her hand to his lips, pressing a sweet kiss to her palm.

“I’m sure everything will be alright,” he whispered into her ear.

***

The authorities did show up around 30 minutes later. Poe guided them to the temple below while Rey and Ben waited outside of the pyramid. Moments later, the detectives came back out to speak to each of them individually.

The remains had been photographed and tested for DNA. The park was to remain closed to the public until the detectives were done with their investigation. They were told that they could continue their work outside of the pyramid and on the grounds-- but they were not to disturb the crime scene.

After what felt like a lifetime, Ben and Rey were allowed to leave. They walked over to the edge of the grounds where the tent had been set up to collect their tools.

“I’m actually rather relieved that we aren’t to work inside of the pyramid. I don’t have a good feeling about that place,” Rey said.

“I know what you mean,” Ben replied as he picked up the scattered tools.

Suddenly, he felt that same pull that he did from before. He dropped the tools on the ground and found himself walking towards the dense forest ahead of him. He thought he heard Rey’s voice behind him, but he couldn’t concentrate on anything except for the pull. He had to go, he had to see…

Ben felt Rey’s arm tugging on his bicep and he snapped out of _whatever_ had a hold over him. He looked into her eyes and saw the worry written across her face. He had walked out into the rainforest without a second thought.

Turning towards Rey, he gathered her hands in his. He still felt that thread pulling him towards something. Rey nodded at his silent question. She could feel it too.

“Should we--” Ben asked.

“I think we have to,” Rey replied.

He took her hand and followed the pull-- that thread that connected them to something that was waiting for them in the jungles.

It felt as if they had been walking for hours, his feet were tired and sweat poured down his temples. The humidity after the rainstorm was suffocating. Ben pushed past the large foliage, holding the branches out of the way so Rey could walk through with ease.

This wasn’t the same place they had visited before, he knew that much. But the ruins that surrounded the area-- those were the same. They were the same; yet, they were more built up. It was a complete temple versus a crumbled pile of rubble.

The statues that adorned the front of the temple were depictions of the God Itzamná and the Goddess Ixchel. Rey walked forward and brushed her hand along the stone statues. Ben joined her and ran his hands along the stone as well. It warmed under his touch, giving him a sense of comfort.

Rey disappeared inside the temple in a flash, causing Ben to have to chase after her. He felt like his feet were frozen in his spot, his legs felt heavy, like flowing through water as he forced himself forward. His heart began to race, he needed to get to her, needed to find her. He saw a soft glow ahead, leading him to towards the entrance to the temple-- guiding him.

Once he walked inside, he noticed candles scattered around the temple floor. The flickering lights danced across the darkened walls of the temple. In the center of the room, there was a bed made out of leaves and brush. Beside of the bed was an upside down clay water pitcher. Ben furrowed his brow at the sight of the strange pottery.

Rey was standing by the clay pottery, she picked it up in her hand and admired it before placing it back down next to the bed. Ben remembered that Ixchel was often depicted holding an upside down vessel. His brain was foggy and couldn’t connect all the meanings behind it, he just knew he wanted to hold Rey in his arms and kiss her senseless.

Rey laid down on the bed and let her legs fall open. Ben swallowed hard at the sight of her laying back against the leaves, her hair curled and framing her head like a halo.

“What are you doing sweetheart?”

“Come here Ben,” she whispered.

He felt that pull _again_. He couldn’t deny her. Walking forward, he dropped to his knees and settled himself on top of her body. He captured her lips in a heated kiss. He felt his whole body warm from the sensations of their lips connecting, breathing together, and heartbeats in sync. It was as if this moment was written in the stars.

Ben nuzzled her nose and looked into her bright hazel eyes. She was looking at him with such devotion, he felt his chest swell and his heart clench at the sight. He took her hand and kissed each knuckle before taking one of her fingers into his mouth and sucking lightly.

Her eyes rolled into the back of her head as he pulled her finger out of his mouth with a pop.

Delicately, he pulled her top off, relishing the feel of her smooth skin against his palms. His shirt was soon to follow. Then he unhooked her bra and tossed it aside. Ben held himself up on his arms over her as his hair fell into his eyes, he lowered himself down and kissed her neck with featherlight brushes of his lips.

Her breasts pressed into his chest as he kissed along her collarbone. He ran his hand up her body and settled it over her small globe. He massaged her flesh, looking into her eyes as she sunk her fingers into his wavy locks.

He found her lips and kissed her again, pressing his tongue into her mouth and sliding it along hers. He deepened the kiss further, tasting her and stealing the breath from her lungs. She looked so beautiful beneath him. Ben wanted to cherish her. To love her.

Ben hooked his fingers into her jeans and began rolling them down her body. She lifted her hips to allow him to pull them off of her golden legs. Ben rubbed her through her underwear as she grabbed his shoulders and raked her nails down his back.

She reached his ass and pulled him hard against her, rubbing her clothed pussy against his groin. He felt himself hardening instantly. Rey dipped her fingers into his pants, pulling at the button until it popped open.

Ben rose to his feet and pulled his pants down, kicking them off to join the rest of their scattered clothing. Then he grabbed the band of his underwear and pulled them down, allowing his erection to spring forth.

Rey was eyeing him knowingly, waiting for him to pounce. But he wanted to take his time, he wanted to kiss every inch of her body and make her come at least once before he even entered her.

Ben grabbed her hips and pulled her down, some of the leaves caught in her hair and she looked like an earth goddess. He pulled her legs apart and stared at her glistening sex. She was already so wet for him.

He pressed his mouth to her folds, flicking his tongue out to lick her. She tasted so good. Ben sucked her clit into his mouth, dragging his teeth softly across the sensitive nub. Her fingers gripped his head and she began rocking her hips against his mouth and tongue.

He began thrusting a finger inside of her, crooking it to rub against her g-spot. She moaned and it made his cock harden even more. She gasped out and he felt her walls squeezing his finger; he lapped up her juices eagerly.

The candles flickered, casting her beautiful body in firelight. Ben rubbed his thumb along the just of her hipbone and balanced his chin on her pelvic bone.

He crawled up her body and kissed her lips, pulling her leg over his hip and rocking his hard cock against her slick sex. The head pressed against her over sensitive clit and she whined with each point of contact.

“Are you ready for me? Are you ready for my cock?” he groaned against her lips.

“Yes, yes, yes, Ben.”

He didn’t need anymore encouragement, he was already painfully hard and in need of release. He entered her in one swift movement, hilting himself inside.

“So beautiful,” he said between kisses.

Rey grabbed his bottom and pulled him deeper inside her.

“Impatient?” he teased.

She groaned at him and gave him a little slap on his ass. _Oh he would get her back for that one._ He pulled back and thrusted into her, making sure to rub at that special spot inside that drove her wild.

“Yes, Ben. Yes,” she kept repeating.

He continued to pound into her relentlessly, her slick little pussy squeezing his cock and making him light headed. Ben balanced himself on one arm and grabbed her breast with the other, flicking her nipple with his thumb before pulling and plucking at it.

He felt himself building up to that delicious release, he abandoned her breast to press his thumb against her clit and rubbed swift circles. He wanted to feel her come on his cock. She kept her eyes locked on his as he rubbed her, urging her closer to her own release.

Then she was crashing over the edge, pulsing and squeezing her walls on his cock triggering his own release. He pumped ropes and ropes of come inside of her.

Slowly, he pulled himself out of her and fell back on the makeshift bed. He pulled her into his chest and kissed each eyelid and then her nose and finally her lips.

“I love you darling, I love you so much,” he said as he held her gaze.

She smiled brightly, just as the sun began to shine through an opening in the ceiling of the temple, casting her in the bright light of the sun.

“I love you too,” she said, bringing her hand to her mouth and pressing kisses along his wrist. “Love you more than anything in the world,” she added.

Ben felt his heart beat faster, it was beating for her.

***

They quickly dressed, silently without making any sounds. Ben took in the blush on her cheeks. He moved to gather her in his arms and pressed a long, sensual kiss to her lips.

“Are you okay?” He asked.

“I'm great,” she responded.

The smile on her face told him that much. Ben looked around the temple and grabbed her hand. He wanted to ask her if she had brought a camera or anything to document the ruins-- but he knew that they had left everything behind at the excavation site.

Ben led her out of them temple and back into the dense forests. The rain had begun to start once again.

He turned around and told Rey to jump on his back. She did so willingly, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing a kiss to his temple.

Ben was about to make a run for it, when he noticed the clay water pitcher sitting on the outside of the temple, full of rainwater.

He remembered then what the pitcher symbolized. Ixchel is the goddess of fertility, she carries an upside down vessel to represent the gift of water. The gift of fertility. And that clay pottery was now full of water.

The feeling returned, his premonition from the start of the storm. Something in their lives was about to change, for the better. Ben thought he knew what that something might be. He smiled to himself as he walked out into the rainstorm with Rey on his back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you Nori! My wonderful beta <3 
> 
> Nerd links.... 
> 
> Ixchel  
> http://www.holisticnp.com/ixchel.html


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben had always liked watching storms. There was something soothing about the sound of the rain and the rumbling of thunder. It made him think of his mother. She had always told him how much she enjoyed watching storms. He also remembered times when he was a young boy, frightened from the lightening and fierce thunder. His mother would hold him in his arms and sing lullabies to calm him down.

The cab ride back to the hotel was slow and steady. The rain had tapered off and was only a slight drizzle. The clouds were still dark and ominous-- a warning that the storm wasn’t close to being done.

Ben and Rey sat in the backseat of the taxi. His arm wrapped around her shoulders, holding her close to his chest as he looked out the window. He watched as raindrops slid down the glass, mesmerized with the beauty of the storm.

Ben had always liked watching storms. There was something soothing about the sound of the rain and the rumbling of thunder. It made him think of his mother. She had always told him how much she enjoyed watching storms. He also remembered times when he was a young boy, frightened from the lightening and fierce thunder. His mother would hold him in his arms and sing lullabies to calm him down.

He wanted that for Rey and himself. He wanted a little Ben or Rey to find comfort in their arms, he wanted to protect, care, and love for someone unconditionally. A child. He wanted a child with Rey. The perfect little symbol of their love for each other, somebody that is half him and half Rey.

Back at the hotel, they paid the cab fare and walked quickly to the elevators. Their clothes were damp and clinging to them from their long day in the rain. Ben wanted nothing more than to peel them off and get into a nice hot shower.

He slid the keycard into the slot and unlocked their door. He guided Rey through the door with his hand on her lower back.

Once inside, he started pulling off Rey’s clothes. She stood before him shivering in the cool hotel room. He undressed and wrapped her up in his arms, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

“Want to take a bath or a shower to warm up?” he asked with a bright smile.

“A bath sounds nice,” she replied.

Ben walked to the en suite and grabbed a white robe, tossing it to Rey while he got the bath ready.

He lit some candles and placed them around the tub. Then he filled the bath with lavender scented bubbles.

Rey came in curled up in her robe and with a book in her hand. He smiled at her gestured towards the bath.

“I thought you could maybe read to me,” she replied.

This was something they did quite often. Back in their apartment in New York City, they would draw a bath, relax in the water together, and Ben would read to Rey. She told him how much she loved the sound of his deep voice.

Ben walked over and grabbed the book from her hands, placing it gently on the side of the tub. Then he grabbed the ties of her robe and slowly unlaced them. His fingertips grazed the skin of her stomach as he opened the sides of the robe.

She shrugged out of the robe, letting it drop to the floor and pulled him down for a heated kiss. Ben grabbed the book with one hand and led Rey over to the bath. He settled himself in the water and she rested her back to his chest. Ben held the book out of the water, resting his arm on the side of the tub. His other arm wrapped around Rey’s waist under the water.

“So what are we reading today?” he asked with a smirk, glancing at the cover and smiling to himself. “ _Death on the Nile_ by Agatha Christie.”

She nodded and kissed his chin.

Ben turned to the first page and began reading out loud. He could feel his chest vibrating against her back with each word he recited from the book. The candles flickered and he could have sworn he could hear the pitter patter of the rain hitting the side of the hotel.

He read to her until the water grew cold. Ben helped Rey out of the tub long enough for him to place the book on the counter and to let the water out. He then started the water in the shower and pushed her inside the stall.

Inside the shower he delicately washed her. They shared kisses under the stream of water cascading down their bodies. And it was nice just to _kiss_ her, to spend this time with her, to express his love for her. Nothing could compare to these loving, peaceful moments that they shared.

Ben held her in his arms, kissing her softly as his hands rubbed up and down her slick back. He didn’t even have to say it, because she knew it, he had said it a million times already. But “I love you,” still slipped out of his lips between kisses. And he would say it a million more times, he would tell her that everyday for the rest of his life. Because he loves her, and she deserves the world.

***

Rey was laying on their bed with her damp hair hanging off the side of the mattress as she stared at the ceiling. Ben climbed on top of her and cupped her cheek, capturing her lips in a sweet kiss.

“Are you hungry? We can order some room service,” he offered.

Rey was already dressed for bed in a pair of loose pajama pants and one of his old t-shirts. Ben had on a pair of sweatpants. Rey ran her nails down his back and kissed the bridge of his nose.

“I am always up for food,” she said with a sunny smile.

Ben rolled off of her and walked over to the desk that had the phone and the menu for room service. He flipped through the menu and called out the different dinner options.

“Oh this sounds good,” he said. “Spicy shrimp tacos. What do you think sweetheart? Comes with a side of white rice and black beans.”

Rey sat up on the bed and crossed her legs.

“That sounds really good,” her stomach growled in agreement.

Ben chuckled and picked up the phone, dialing the number for room service. He ordered their food and decided against the bottle of wine for _reasons_. Instead he ordered a sparkling apple cider.

He walked back to the bathroom, collecting the candles he had set up and taking them outside to the balcony. The rain had stopped, leaving the grounds damp and a cool breeze, no doubt coming from the ocean. Ben set the table outside with the candles and dried off the chairs. The sun was already starting to set, painting the sky a lovely array of pinks and purples. It was the perfect backdrop for their dinner.

It wasn’t long before they heard a knock on their door. Ben walked over and greeted the man rolling in their dinner. Ben thanked him and handed him a generous tip.

He insisted that Rey sit on the bed while he set the outdoor table for the two of them. He grabbed their plates and set them down and then grabbed the iced bottle of cider and carried it with him as he turned to Rey and grabbed her hand, pulling her along as he led her outside.

Ben pulled out one of the chairs for Rey, sliding it in underneath her as she sat down.

“I’m hardly dressed for the occasion,” she said with a laugh, “I’m not even wearing a bra.”

Ben groaned as he took his own seat, reaching across the table to grab her tiny hand. He brushed his thumb over her knuckles.

“Oh sweetheart, that is how I like you best.”

She threw her head back as she laughed, tears forming in her eyes. And it warmed his heart that he was able to do this for her, he was able to make her laugh-- make her happy.

“Let’s eat,” he added.

The spicy shrimp tacos were exquisite. They were adorned with slaw and chunks of avocado. His lips burned deliciously with each bite. Rey ate her share eagerly, and Ben gave up the last bite of his shrimp taco so his beautiful wife could have a little more. Perhaps they should have ordered _three_ plates.

“Whats this?” she asked, pointing to the covered silver platter on the center of the table.

Ben smiled devilishly, he had been sly, calling room service back once she went to the restroom to order dessert. It was a surprise. He couldn’t wait to see the look on her face when she saw what he ordered.

He patted his lap and Rey stood from the table, walking to his side and sitting across his thigh. His arm rested on her waist. With his other hand, he lifted the cover of the silver platter revealing a decadent chocolate lava cake with vanilla ice cream and drizzled with chocolate fudge.

As expected, Rey’s eyes widened and her mouth hung open. He used the spoon to scoop up some of the cake and ice cream, gently feeding it to Rey and watching as her eyes rolled into the back of her head.

“Good?” he asked.

“Oh my god,” she replied. “Ben you have to try this.”

He gathered some of the cake on the spoon and put it into his own mouth. _Damn_ it was good.

“You have some.” She gestured to his mouth where some chocolate fudge had been left behind. Rey turned on his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck and licked the corner of his mouth. “There,” she said.

_God she is so cute_ , he thought. _And sexy_. He scooped up some more of the cake and offered it to her. She opened her mouth for him but instead of feeding her the cake, Ben smashed it on her upper lip and nose. She gasped in shock and started laughing when he mouthed at her lips and nose, cleaning her of the mess he had made.

“I always wanted to do that,” he admitted.

“Smash cake in my face?” she asked with fake indignation.

“Well, we didn’t have a wedding cake. So I didn’t get to do that at our ceremony.”

Rey bit her lip seductively and kissed his cheek. The next thing he knew, she had grabbed a chunk of the cake in her hand and smashing it into his own face.

Ben grabbed her hand and put her cakey fingers in his mouth, sucking them clean.

It was Rey’s turn to moan. He let her fingers slip out of his lips with a slick pop. Her cheeks turned a beautiful rosy pink as she pulled his face to her own, kissing him passionately.

Their dessert was forgotten, as he gathered Rey in his arms and carried her inside. He tossed her on the bed and joined her, kissing every inch of her skin as he pulled her clothes off hurriedly.

Their lips and tongues clashed together as he pushed into her, she was already wet and ready for him. The sound of thunder and the drumming of the rain against the shutters mingled with the slap of skin on skin and the panting of their breaths.

_So gorgeous, so beautiful._ He thought. _Mine, mine, mine._

***

Ben was sated when he pulled out of her, panting for breath as he nuzzled her neck, pressing featherlight kisses along her skin.

The rain continued to pour, lighting the room with each flash of lightning. Rey rolled over cuddled into his chest, pressing a soft kiss to his neck before her eyes fluttered shut.

He kissed her on each cheek, her forehead, her nose, and lastly her pretty lips. Ben traced his fingers up and down her spine as he settled his head into the pillows, gazing at Rey’s sleeping face. She looked as beautiful as ever and so very peaceful.

Ben drifted off to sleep that night with his body wrapped around Rey’s and the sound of the rain lulling him into a peaceful rest. Tomorrow was sure to be another day full of adventure, at least for now-- at this moment, they could enjoy the peace of being in each other’s arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my wonderful beta Nori!


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben slammed his coffee mug on the table as he took the seat across from his father, steepling his fingers in front of his lips and resting his elbows on the table. 
> 
> “Son?” Han asked, as he set down his newspaper. “What is it?”
> 
> Ben leaned forward and lowered his voice. 
> 
> “Those ruins are real. You are going to come with us this time. You’ll see.”
> 
> Han sighed as he picked up his own coffee mug and took a sip. “When do we leave?”

Ben slammed his coffee mug on the table as he took the seat across from his father, steepling his fingers in front of his lips and resting his elbows on the table.

“Son?” Han asked, as he set down his newspaper. “What is it?”

Ben leaned forward and lowered his voice.

“Those ruins are real. You are going to come with us this time. You’ll see.”

Han sighed as he picked up his own coffee mug and took a sip. “When do we leave?”

***

Saturday was technically their day off. The site was overrun with crime scene investigators, so it was best that their team wait until after the weekend to get back to work. Han drove the rental car towards the national park. Han parked the car in a shady spot in the lot, far away from the Tikal pyramids.

Ben climbed out of the car and opened the door for Rey, offering her his hand. They were both clothed in long pants with brown hiking boots. Rey wore an orange tank top. Ben wore a slate colored leather jacket over his tan button up.

Han popped the trunk and Ben grabbed the backpack, slinging it over his shoulder. They had everything they could possibly need from bottles of water to bug spray.

They quickly darted across the parking lot and into the dense forest. Ben led the way, pulling back branches and cutting a path through the foliage with his pocket knife.

“Okay, so where did you see these ruins?” Han interjected.

Rey walked up to Ben’s side and grabbed his bicep. “Well they… they move.”

“They what?” Han asked with irritation.

“Hey, when did _you_ become the skeptical one,” Ben sniped. “Rey and I know what we saw. Something weird is going on here and you are going to help us get to the bottom of it.”

“Can too much sex kill your brain cells?” Han grumbled under his breath.

Ben pointed the knife at his father’s chest.

“Don’t think I won’t kill you.”

Rey grabbed Ben’s arm and pulled it back down to his side.

“Come on you two.”

“I’d like to see you try,” Han called out as he pulled a machete from a hidden holster.

“How long have you been carrying that around?” Ben asked as his eyes widened in shock.”

“I’m a scholar, it’s an artifact. Do the math Ben.”

Ben rolled his eyes and turned around, mumbling under his breath. He had been cutting away the foliage with a damn pocket knife when his father had a _machete_.

Ben stomped through the thicket of trees noisily as he tried to concentrate on that strange connection that pulled him and Rey towards the vanishing ruins. It was just his luck that fate or the Gods themselves felt like making an utter fool out of him. Not only did he not feel the connection, he started to wonder, _maybe I am going crazy._

He was so engrossed with whether or not _too much sex_ had killed his brain cells, that he slipped in a puddle of standing rainwater and tripped over a tree root.

Rey laughed behind him and he turned around to shoot her a glare. But he couldn’t be mad at her when she was looking at him so innocently.

Ben walked backwards as he took in the sight of his wife, beautiful and surrounded by green leaves and the little streaks of sunlight that shone through the canopies. He felt his heel hit open air and he lost his balance.

Rey’s eyes widened when she saw that they had walked up to the edge of a cliff. Han grabbed Ben’s arm and yanked him forward and away from the edge, saving his life.

Han mused Ben’s hair and gripped his bicep. Ben’s heart was pounding in his chest, he almost fell off a cliff. Rey collided into his chest, the three of them hugging each other until their hearts slowed and their breathing evened out.

Han released Ben from their embrace and rubbed his hand over his forehead. Rey grabbed Ben’s neck and pulled him down for a kiss. Her lips were warm against his and slightly damp from the humidity. Ben kissed her back and ran his fingertips up and down her spine.

“There’s a rope bridge,” Han called out from the cliffside. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

Ben pulled away from Rey, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead before walking over to where his father stood.

“I’ve only almost died once today, what’s a rickety rope bridge going to do?” he replied as he slapped Han’s shoulder.

It didn’t take them long to make it through the jungle towards the rope bridge. Ben had to admit his curiosity was getting the best of him. He wanted to know what was on the other side of that bridge.

Ben tentatively put a foot on the first plank of the bridge. His hands wrapped around each thread of rope as it rocked from side to side. Beneath him, through the slats of wood, he could see a body of water and dense jungles surrounding them.

He decided it was best to look forward, _not down, never down_. He made it about halfway across the rope bridge when Rey started to cross. Once he got to the other side, his father began crossing. Ben grabbed Rey’s waist and hefted her onto solid ground.

Han was now about three feet away from the other side when one of the ropes snapped. Ben pitched forward and grabbed his father’s arm as the bridge wobbled back and forth like a pendulum.

Ben pulled his father to safety and brushed his hair out of his eyes.

“I do believe _Yum Cimil_ might have it out for us,” Han snarked.

“You might not be too far off,” Ben replied.

He started walking aimlessly through the trees, pausing every few minutes to close his eyes and try to feel with his senses. No connection, no pull, nothing. Ben was started to get frustrated. He felt Rey place her hand on his belt buckle and pull him back against her. She wrapped her arms around his waist, her breasts pressing into his back.

“I think we should find our way back,” she offered.

She was probably right. The rope bridge was no longer safe to cross, and there was no telling _how_ they would find their way back. But Ben had this need to prove to his father that he wasn’t a nutjob. They were going to find these ruins.

“Just a little longer, sweetheart. Then I promise, we will turn around.”

Her arms slipped from around his waist and she settled for lacing their fingers together instead. Ben pulled her along with him, with his father trailing a few feet behind.

That’s when he felt it, it wasn’t that pull. No, it wasn’t the connection. It was something dark and ominous. It felt like his soul was being cloaked by something not quite right. It was suddenly stiflingly hot. He felt like he was suffocating. When he turned to look at Rey and Han, they looked much the same way.

Then he felt the first of a series of raindrops. Thunder rumbled overhead as the rain started to pour. Ahead of them was a cave. It looked familiar but Ben had seen many caves in his life. No matter, it was shelter. And that’s what they needed at this moment.

Ben pulled Rey along with him, tripping over vines and roots as he made his way towards the cave. A pool of water surrounded the entrance of the cave. Ben noticed a small canoe type boat leaning up against a tree.

“Aren’t you the least bit concerned that there is a canoe in the middle of the jungle? It could be a trap,” Han said.

“Do you have a better idea?” Ben asked as he hauled the boat over his head and made for the pool of water.

He placed it down and grabbed Rey’s hand, helping her inside the boat. She had grabbed the oars and held them in her lap. Ben climbed in next, taking the spot in front of Rey, stretching his legs out in front of him and asking her for one of the oars. Han sighed and climbed into the back of the boat. Rey handed him the other oar and together, Ben and Han rowed into the cave.

It wasn’t long into the cave before they hit solid ground. It was pitch black so Ben opened up the backpack and grabbed a flashlight. He stumbled out of the boat and then helped both Rey and Han out.

There was a cavern to the left that was lit by tiny orbs of light. Ben walked over to it and glanced down the passageway.

“I think I know what you were talking about son,” Han said, as he started walking down the passageway. “That pull that you spoke of. I feel it.”

“We really shouldn’t go down there. Should we?” Ben asked. But Rey had already dropped his hand and followed Han. He groaned as he ran after them. “I’m the one with the flashlight, you could at least wait for me to catch up.”

The passageway went on for what felt like an eternity. Ben’s feet ached and he was sure the others felt the same way. There was a staircase that appeared at the end of the cavern. Ben took the steps two at a time, and what he found at the top made him gasp.

Rey fell to her knees and retched, Ben had to cover his nose at the smell of decomposition. The cavern may have once been a tomb for a God or King, but now it was clearly a place used for human sacrifice.

A quick look around the room told Ben exactly what he needed to know. Written on the walls was the same message as the one found in the Tikal temple. _Yum Cimil will not bow to Itzamná._

“We need to leave,” Han said as he grabbed Ben’s arm.

They quickly walked out of the room and headed down the passageway. Rey looked pale as she stopped and started to dry heave again.

“Sweetheart,” Ben grabbed her hair and held it out of the way. He threw the backpack at his father and yelled, “Open up a bottle of water.”

Han did as he was told and quickly handed over the bottle. Ben gave it to Rey and she took small sips.

“Are you okay?” he brushed her hair out of her eyes.

“Yes, yes I am okay. I just really don’t feel very well. Can we stop here and rest? I’m sorry Ben.”

He scooped her up into his arms and carried her like a bride. He pressed a quick kiss to her nose.

“Let’s get out of here,” he said to Han.

Han carried the backpack and the flashlight as they walked back towards the entrance of the cave. Han’s hand trailed along the wall of the passageway, grasping onto a vine that ran down the length of it.

The cave was filled with the sound of stone against stone, a scraping noise that made Ben’s stomach drop.

“I have a bad feeling about this,” Han said.

Circular walls came down from the ceiling, caging them in and blocking their exit. Ben gently put Rey back down on her feet and banged his fist on the stone.

“Shit!” he yelled. “This is your fault.”

“My fault?” Han looked agitated.

“You pulled that vine. If you haven’t learned not to touch shit by now--”

“Shut up, the both of you!” Rey shouted.

Ben turned from his father, shooting him a glare before he fixed his face and looked to Rey with concern.

“Darling, are you okay?”

“Don’t _darling_ me Ben Solo.” She abruptly covered her mouth and started dry heaving.

“Shit, we need to get out of here,” Ben said as he put an arm around Rey’s waist. “Drink some more water. Little sips now.”

“Ben.”

“Yeah dad.”

He turned to look at what his father was pointing to. There was a crack in the wall of the cavern in the shape of a doorway. Ben and Han walked over to it and pushed the until the stone gave way and another room was revealed.

Inside the room was a golden chalice sitting on top of a throne. Han walked over to the throne and shined the flashlight over the hieroglyphs.

“It says, the one that drinks from the chalice will gain the power from Yum Cimil. Human sacrifice is to show loyalty to the God of Death.” Han looked over to the two of them. “Somebody must have believed this crock of shit.”

Ben reached up and grabbed the chalice, pushing it into his father’s hands.

“We are taking this.”

“What why?” Han asked.

“Because, it belongs in a museum. Not in some hidden cave where some drugged up sociopath thinks he can gain the powers of the God of Death.”

Ben turned to walk back out of the room. He looked around in a panic.

“Dad,” he yelled.

Han ran to his side, “What is it?”

“Where’s Rey.” Ben asked with a cold fear creeping up his spine.

She was nowhere to be found.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you Nori, my wonderful beta.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fury started burning Ben’s veins. Frustration, irritation, fear. It all bottled up in a toxic combination. He wanted to hit something, to release this pent up rage. At his father, at the gods, at the murderer that was stalking the ruins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm insecure about this one. Hope it's alright.

Rey was gone.

Ben looked at the walls that had closed them in, searching for any hidden latch that she could have used to slip out. He stared at the ground and noticed the imprint of her footsteps on the dusty floor of the cave.

Where could she have gone?

“Rey!” he yelled.

All he heard was the echo of his voice. Ben felt a hand on his shoulder and when he turned to look, his father was giving him a nervous smile.

“We will find her son. I’m sure of it.”

Fury started burning Ben’s veins. Frustration, irritation, fear. It all bottled up in a toxic combination. He wanted to hit something, to release this pent up rage. At his father, at the gods, at the murderer that was stalking the ruins.

Ben clenched his fist and pulled it back punching the temple wall in one swift movement, cracking his knuckles in the process. He cursed as he pulled his hand back, realizing that he had broken the skin of his knuckles. Blood was dripping from his hand and had stained the wall.

A rumbling sounded and the wall that he had just punched began to lift back up, allowing them an exit.

Han looked over at him and shrugged.

“I guess throwing a tantrum isn’t always bad,” his father snarked.

If Ben had the will he would have bit back a retort, but all that mattered at this moment was finding Rey. He started running down the corridor, searching every crevice for any sign or his Rey. He called out her name, various times, only to be met with silence.

He was starting to panic. How could he have let this happen? What an idiot he had been. He started to feel dizzy and the room started spinning. Ben crashed to his knees, falling face first into the cavern floor.

***

Ben came to with water splashing in his face. He sat up and looked at his father who was holding Ben’s shoulder steady.

“You okay there? You turned white as a sheet and then just passed out.”

Ben’s head was pounding and he felt nauseous. His eyes snapped up to his father’s face.

“How long was I out?”

“Only a few minutes. Listen, I heard footsteps down this passageway, it had to be Rey. We need to go.”

Han helped him stand and started down the passageway which led to a descending flight of stairs, probably leading to the base of the temple. Ben followed behind at a fast pace, taking the steps two at a time.

Once the two of them had gotten to the bottom of the stairs, they saw Rey standing in the middle of the room as if she were in a trance.

Ben rushed forward and spun her in his arms. It seemed to have broken her from the trance, because her arms wrapped around him and she cried out in relief.

Tears were streaming down his face as he kissed her lips.

When he pulled away, he took in the scene around them. There were candles lit and graffiti written on the walls. His stomach lurched at the defacement of this ancient temple. There was a pile of grimy blankets in one corner of the room and empty energy bar wrappers scattered across the floor. Almost as if somebody was squatting here.

Ben was brought back to Rey as he body trembled against him. Her body was like a furnace, she was feverish. He needed to get her out of the cave and back to their hotel.

Ben interlaced their fingers and pulled her along. Her feet were dragging a little so he opted for carrying her instead.

Han led the way back up the stairs and towards the entrance to the cave.

The canoe was where they had left it. Ben placed Rey in the boat first before climbing in himself. Han climbed in and handed Ben one of the oars.

Together they rowed out of the mouth of the cave and towards the bank.

It was still drizzling, yet not as hard as the storms had been the past few days. Ben groaned as he remembered the rope bridge. They would have to find another way back.

Ben helped Rey out of the boat and covered her with his jacket.

Han gave her a quick side hug and said, “Glad we found you kid.”

She cracked a smile at that and it made Ben’s heart leap.

They trekked through the wet terrain until they ended up back to where the rope bridge hung, dangling unsteadily.

“Well,” Ben said sarcastically, “the bridge is still broken.”

“I have an idea,” Han replied.

He pulled out the machete and cut part of the rope bridge off. He knotted one end of the rope, securely. Then he dug in the back pocket of his pants and brought out a tool.

Han pressed a button on the side of the tool and it sprung open. It was a grappling hook. Han tied the other end of the rope to the hook and tossed it across the gorge, hooking it on the limb of a tree.

“It's a leap of faith,” Han smirked as he grabbed the end of the rope, placing his feet on the knot and swing across the rainforest.

Ben breath a sigh of relief when his father's feet hit the other side of the jungle.

“You're either an idiot, or really smart. I can't tell which,” Ben yelled.

Han chuckled and pointed to the rope, signaling that he was going to throw it across for them.

Ben caught the rope with one hand and put his other arm around Rey’s waist.

“Hold on to me,” he whispered into her ear.

She wrapped her legs around his waist and hugged him tightly.

_A leap of faith_ , he thought as he jumped from the ledge.

They landed on the other side and Han rushed forward to grab hold of them both.

“I can't believe that worked,” Ben said.

His entire body felt exhausted and he wanted nothing more than to be back at their car. He put his hands on his knees and took a deep breath.

“Okay. Let's get going,” he said as he finally composed himself.

The walk back went relatively quickly, and Ben let out a sigh of relief when they walked through the thickets of the rainforest to see the parking lot of the national forest. Han pressed the button to unlock the doors and Ben helped Rey into the backseat. He slid in beside her, not willing to leave her when she was in this state. Han cranked the car and peeled out of the parking lot and back onto the main road.

“When we get back to the hotel, take her straight up to your room. I’ll get the medic to come right away,” Han said.

Ben nodded and looked down at Rey’s flushed face. Her eyes were closed and she was breathing steadily. He pressed a kiss to her forehead and it was hot against his lips.

Once they had arrived, Ben hurried Rey up to their room. Tossing her on their bed and unlacing her boots. Han arrived just a few short minutes later with the medic in tow.

Rey was cuddled in their bed, her fever causing her to be a bit delirious.

The medic looked over her and told Ben that it was a simple case of exhaustion and heat stroke. He sighed in relief that it wasn't anything worse. He could take care of Rey by making sure she drinks plenty of water and stays in bed. That would be the most difficult part. His Rey never likes being sick for the sole reason that she hates to be sitting still.

Well, he would sit still with her.

The medic gave her some fluids and a pain reliever to break the fever. As soon as the medic left the room, Rey was already pushing the covers off of her and attempting to stand up.

“Oh, no you don't,” Ben said, tackling her to the mattress.

“Ben, get off. I'm fine.”

“You aren't fine Rey. You're sick. You need to rest.”

She huffed in irritation, “I’m just a little tired, I can take care of myself.”

Ben kissed her forehead, “I know you can. But everybody gets sick from time to time, and everybody needs their rest.”

She relented, throwing her head back into the pillows.

“I’ll uh-- give you two some privacy,” Han snickered as he left the room. Ben had forgotten he was even here.

“I just don't understand,” Rey started. “We've always been running on fumes. One trip after another. Why did my body choose now to give out on me?”

“Oh sweetheart, it happens to the best of us. Perhaps you have a cold or something that has weakened your body.”

She groaned and threw an arm over her face.

“Come on, let’s get you cleaned up.”

Ben started up the shower and took his time as he undressed Rey and himself. He held her in his arms as the water rained down upon them. Ben washed the sweat and dirt from their trek off of their bodies, kissing every inch of Rey’s newly cleaned body.

Once they were done showering, Ben brought Rey some pajamas to wear and pointed her back towards the bed. She groaned but acquiesced.

“Are you hungry sweetheart?” he asked as he picked up the phone. “We can order room service, or pizza. Whatever you would like.”

“Pizza sounds nice,” she replied.

Ben ordered the pizza then walked over to their suitcase, flipping the top open and grabbing a pair of his sweatpants. The towel that was loosely slung around his waist fell to the floor as he pulled the sweatpants up his legs.

Rey eyed him and smiled smugly when she caught a quick glimpse before he pulled the pants over his hips. He winked at her and she scoffed.

“Arrogant,” she said jokingly.

Ben chuckled, brushing his hand through his hair.

Suddenly their phone rang, Ben walked over to it with a furrowed brow.

“Hello?” he asked.

Jessika sighed with relief on the other side of the line. “Finn and I were so worried.”

“We’re fine Jess, Rey is resting.”

“Listen, I’ll come see her tomorrow. If that’s okay. Finn, Poe and I are going to meet at the hotel bar and have a few drinks. But please let her know that I was worried about her.”

“Of course I will let her know,” he replied, looking at Rey as she resting in their bed. “Have a good night Jess.”

He hung up the phone and returned to the bed, cuddling his wife and kissing the back of her neck.

“I think your fever broke,” he remarked, as his lips hovered over the sensitive skin behind her ear.

“I’m feeling better,” she replied.

“You are still on bedrest.”

Rey groaned.

A knock on the door alerted Ben that the pizza had arrived. He left Rey’s side to pay for the pizza and to place it on the table. He grabbed a napkin and put a slice on it, handing it over to Rey.

They ate in silence, enjoying the greasy pepperoni pizza until they had eaten the entire pie.

Ben cleaned up and finally returned to the bed, pulling Rey against his bare chest. Her eyes widened as if she had just remembered something.

“What Rey, what is it?”

“I saw him,” She whispered against his neck.

“Saw who?”

She fingered the scar on his chest from the time he took a bullet for her in Egypt.

“I saw Snoke.”

The breath left Ben's lungs as he looked into Rey’s eyes.

“He was there Ben. He was in the cave.”

It all made sense. The human sacrifices, the defacement of the temple. What was Snoke playing at? He had all but disappeared when he escaped arrest in Egypt. And what were the chances that he showed up where they were working? Ben felt uneasy as he put the pieces together.

Snoke had been keeping tabs on them this entire time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my beta Nori!


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fluff and smut. It's good for the soul.

Making Rey stay in bed while she let her body get the much needed rest, was no easy feat. Ben had resorted to playing cards with her, watching movies while cuddling in bed, and reading chapter after chapter of her favorite books that she had brought with her.

It was curious to Ben, that she still felt nauseous, even after the added rest. He mentioned this to his father, with worry. And Han merely smirked at him and slapped him on the shoulder, leaving him feeling even more confused.

Today marked the fourth day of Rey’s bedrest. She was going to be able to get back to the dig site within the next few days, and Ben knew how anxious she was to get back into it.

A knock on the door interrupted Ben’s foot massage he was giving Rey. He kissed her ankle before crossing the room and opening the door, seeing Jessika Pava staring back at him.

Ben stepped aside to let Jessika through, telling her _hello_ as she pushed past him and walked straight over to Rey.

He walked over the the kitchenette to grab himself a bottle of water and he couldn't help but to hear Rey’s aggravated whisper.

“You have to get me out of here Jess, I'm going to go insane.”

“Rey, Ben will literally kill me if I take you out of this room.”

Ben stifled his laugh as he called out, “You know I can hear you.”

Rey reached out to him and grabbed his bottle of water out of his hands, taking a sip. She handed it back and wrapped her arms around his waist.

“Please, babe. Please.”

He didn't like when she resorted to begging. He lifted her chin and pressed a loving kiss to her lips.

“Why don't you and Jess schedule some massages at the spa? That way you can get out but you will still be relaxing.”

She smiled at him and looked over to Jess who was smiling right back at her. He handed the hotel phone over to Jess and excused himself to let the two of the plan their spa day.

Ben walked out of his room and made his way down the elevators towards the bar. If he were honest, the bed rest was driving him a little stir crazy too.

He found a secluded place at the bar and ordered a beer. Something on tap. He looked down into the amber liquid and took small sips as he savored the taste.

Suddenly he felt a presence beside of him. He turned to look to his right and saw his father sitting beside of him and raising his hand for the bartender, ordering a beer of his own.

“I got you something,” Han replied, pushing a plastic bag over to him.

Ben peeked inside the bag to see a bright pink box.

“A pregnancy test?”

“Well, I suppose it's more for Rey,” Han chuckled.

Ben’s eyes widened and then a broad smile lifted on his face. He had hoped that he would get her pregnant. And it seemed that his father believed it to be the case.

“Thank you,” Ben replied, holding the bag in his lap as he sipped his beer.

“Just let me know if I'm going to be a grandfather. How is that even possible? I'm not old enough to be a grandfather. Am I?”

Ben rolled his eyes and laughed.

The sat and joked back and forth, Han telling him some embarrassing story about how his mother had told Han she was pregnant with Ben.

A few beers later, Ben paid his tab and made his way back to the hotel room. Rey was sitting on the bed and putting her flip flops on.

“You going to the spa?” He asked.

“Yes-- Jess is coming back to get me in just a few minutes. What's that?” She asked looking at the bag in his hand.

“Oh, don't worry about it now. I'll show you when you get back from the spa.”

He quickly walked into the bathroom and placed the bag in one of the drawers.

Ben walked back out and made his way over to his wife. She held her arms out to him and he scooped her up, twirling her around and kissing her passionately.

When Rey pulled away she said, “You taste like beer.”

Ben kissed her again before replying, “It's because I had a few beers at the bar, with my father.”

She wove her fingers through his hair as she changed the subject.

“Thank you for letting me have this. I really need the escape.”

Ben pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I know you do sweetheart. Have fun with Jess, okay.”

They shared a few more heated kisses as Rey pulled away and smirked at him.

“We can do _whatever_ you want when I get back later tonight.”

Ben felt his cock twitch at the sultry sound of her voice. He rather liked that idea. Then he remembered the bag in the bathroom and thought about what that could mean for them.

Jess came by to pick up Rey and Ben shut the hotel room door behind them. Then he was alone. It was far too quiet for his liking.

He didn't even know what to do with himself to pass the time while Rey was away. He got on his computer and checked his e-mails. Then he started reading news articles about recent excavation finds in Jordan.

His eyes started to feel droopy and he thought briefly that a nap might be a good idea. He cuddled into the pillows and fell fast asleep.

***

He was awoken a few hours later with a kiss to his lips. Ben sat up and rubbed his eyes, seeing Rey leaning over him with a smile on her face.

“You fell asleep,” She laughed.

“I was waiting for you-- got bored. It's so much more interesting with you here,” He said as he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her to his chest.

He started kissing the column of her throat, feeling himself start to harden against her stomach. Then he was pulling away gently and smiling up at her, remembering what was hidden away in the drawer in the bathroom.

“Come with me,” he replied, rolling Rey over and climbing off the bed.

She followed him into the bathroom with a furrow in her brow. Ben couldn’t remove the smile from his face as he pulled open the drawer and grabbed the bag that was nestled inside. He handed the bag to her and she peeked in curiously.

“A pregnancy test,” she gasped.

Ben couldn’t hide his glee at her surprise, wrapped an arm around her waist and kissing her passionately.

When he pulled away for breath, he rasped, “Well, take it.”

“No, don’t you know anything?”

He looked dejectedly down at her. Rey placed the pink box on the counter on the sink.

“It’s best to test in the morning,” she explained. “HCG levels are most potent with first morning pee.”

He groaned as he kissed her shoulder.

“There are two tests in this pack, we can take one now,” he suggested.

“No! If it’s negative in the morning then we will have another to test later on,” she was insistent.

“Fine,” he groaned again.

Rey shrieked as he grabbed her by the waist and threw her over his shoulder. He gave her a tiny slap on her ass as he carried her back to the bedroom.

Immediately, he started taking Rey’s clothes off of her.

“Eager?” she laughed, as she rose to her knees and started ridding him of his clothes.

“Just the thought of you pregnant with my baby. I don’t know why, but that turns me on.”

He pressed her down onto the mattress and started rubbing his erection against her slick folds. She was already so wet for him.

“I think it gets you hot too,” he smirked.

Rey moaned as he reached between their bodies and lined himself up with her entrance. He leaned down and took a nipple into his mouth as he thrust inside of her, hilting himself.

She clenched around him which made Ben see stars.

“Fuck,” he said, thrusting shallowly. “You’re always so tight sweetheart.”

He sped up his pace, watching as her tits bounced with every gyrate of his hips. Her arms were wrapped around his neck, pulling him down to her chest. Their skin hot and slick against each other as he moved within.

“You could be pregnant right now,” he mouthed against her throat. “My baby could be in you at this exact moment.”

“Yes. Please, yes.”

“And if you aren’t pregnant,” he continued, “I’ll fill you up until you are.”

Rey rolled them over, her strength surprising him as she slowly took him back inside. His hands held on to her waist in an iron grip as she sunk down. And _fuck_ she felt good. So warm, so wet. So perfect. _So mine_. He thought.

She started bouncing on top of him and he met her thrust for thrust.

“Yes,” she groaned.

He felt his balls tighten as her walls began to flutter around him, and soon they were both crashing into orgasm. He spilled inside her with each spurt.

They both groaned at the loss as Rey climbed off of him and collapsed onto the mattress beside Ben.

He moved between her legs and spread them wide, watching as his seed started trickling out of her. _Now we can’t have that._ He thought.

Ben gathered his come and pushed it back inside, giving her overworked pussy a little slap.

“There,” he replied, pulling her to his chest. “I can’t wait to watch your stomach swell with _our_ baby.”

She smiled brightly back at him. “I can’t wait either,” she replied, kissing him lightly on the lips.

***

The next morning, Ben was the first to wake up. He watched Rey’s face, cuddled up into his shoulder as she lightly snored.

His stomach was in knots; a mixture of excitement, hope, and anticipation.

Her eyes started to flutter open and she smiled up at him. He was all too eager to throw the covers off the bed and grab her hand, pulling her up from the warm nest of blankets.

“Ben!” She exclaimed.

“Come on,” he said excitedly, “First morning pee, right?”

Her cheeks were flushed in a beautiful shade of rose as she laughed out loud.

“Okay, okay,” she replied.

Rey took the box with shaky hands and pulled out the tests. She unwrapped the plastic and held the stick in her hand, biting her bottom lip. She flipped the box over and read the directions multiple times before making her way over to the toilet.

Ben watched her eagerly.

“Turn around,” she chided.

“What? I’ve seen you pee before.”

“That was just in passing, you are _staring_ at me.”

“Fine,” Ben replied, turning his back to allow his wife a bit of privacy.

Once she was finished she put the cap back on the pregnancy test and left it sitting on the counter. Ben held her in his arms as they waited the excruciating long wait of _three_ minutes.

“I’m too nervous, you look,” she said, hiding her face in his chest.

Ben glanced over at the window screen, and there it was. Two solid lines.

“Two lines, that means-- that means you’re, that we...” he stuttered.

Her head popped up and turned to look at the test. Rey grabbed it in her hands to inspect is and when she turned to meet his eyes, she had unshed tears gathering in the corners. Rey threw her arms around his neck and started kissing him passionately.

Ben carried her back to the bed, his hands cupping her ass as her legs wrapped tightly around his waist. She tossed the test on the nightstand as Ben settled himself on top of her.

“We’re going to have a baby,” he said between kisses.

They were both crying now as they gently slipped out of their clothes. Desperate to touch and feel each other in the most intimate of ways.

Ben made love to her. Slow and sensual, their hearts beating as one as he clutched her hand tightly in his, interlacing their fingers.

His hand fell on her lower stomach as he moved in and out of her.

“Our baby,” he whispered, kissing her brow.

He couldn’t take his eyes off of her, his beautiful wife. The mother of his child. Ben’s heart felt like it was about to explode. Just the thought of her carrying his child. _Their_ child. Somebody that was part Rey and part Ben. A child that was created out of love...

“I love you,” she said, tears running down her cheeks.

Ben wiped her face with his thumb, gathering the tears as they fell. “I love you too, sweetheart.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my beta Nori!!! <3


	13. Chapter 13

Ben wanted nothing more than to yell from the rooftops and confess to the world that _he_ had gotten his wife pregnant. Rey being the voice of reason, insisted that they keep their good news a secret. Just for a few weeks. It was the rational thing to do, that didn’t mean Ben would like it. He wanted to tell everybody, even random hotel employees. He was going to be a _dad_. He and Rey were going to be parents. But he listened to Rey’s wishes and indeed kept it a secret. They decided that together they would tell Han and call Leia. They would surely want to know that they were going to be grandparents.

Rey was cleared to go back to work. She needed to remain hydrated and go easy. Ben would especially make sure she didn’t overwork herself since she was now carrying his child.

Whenever he would mention _taking it easy_ , Rey would roll her eyes and snap at him. “I’m pregnant not ill.”

Ben would hold his hands up in mock defense. She was so feisty when she wasn’t feeling well. He found it quite adorable.

***

The great pyramid of Tikal was marked off with police tape. Investigators were speaking to Poe about when the crime scene would be cleaned up and viable again.

Ben walked up to Han, holding Rey’s hand.

“We have a lead on this-- we need to tell the authorities about Snoke,” Ben whispered.

“I know son, we will. Just leave it to me.” Han paused before replying. “Did you-- uh.”

“Yeah,” Ben replied with a smile. He wrapped his arm around Rey’s shoulders and squeezed her while his other hand ghosted over her lower stomach.

Han smiled brightly as Rey whispered under her breath. “We are keeping it a secret for now. But tonight, we would like to video chat Leia and let her know.”

***

Finn and Jessika were working on the restoring the outside of the pyramid, so Ben and Rey walked over to join them. They each got out a brush and started working in silence.

“Are you feeling better Rey?” Jessika asked.

“Much better, glad to be out of the hotel room.”

Finn chuckled. “Yeah, Rey on bedrest is quite hilarious.”

Ben smiled down at his scowling wife. She walked past them towards the scaffolding. Ben’s eyes widened at what she was about to do. She grabbed onto the metal beams and started to pull herself up. Ben ran after her and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her back down.

“I don’t think so,” he replied.

“What are you doing? Are you insane?” she asked.

“Are you? You know you can’t _climb_ up the side of a pyramid when--”

He stopped talking and looked behind him to where Jessika and Finn were watching them with curiosity.

“When you are just recovering from exhaustion,” he replied.

Rey huffed and rushed past him. Ben followed behind her until they were out of hearing range from the rest of the group.

“You need to calm down, Ben.”

“And you need to realize you can’t do all of things you used to be able to do. We have somebody else to think of.” He placed his hand on her abdomen and smiled down at her.

The corner of her mouth lifted in a reluctant smile. Rey wove her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply.

“Yeah okay, so we both need to calm down a little,” she replied.

Ben kissed the crown of her head and pulled back, grabbing both of her hands.

“Come on, let’s go find my father. We should talk to the investigators about Snoke.”

***

One of the investigators was a tall, statuesque blonde woman. Ben couldn’t help but to think she looked out of place amongst the rest of the investigators that were clearly native to Guatemala and wearing uniforms whereas the blonde wore a tailored trouser suit set. This woman even had a thick British accent when she introduced herself.

“Gwendolyn Phasma,” she said, holding her hand out for Ben to shake. “I was called in from the British Anthropology Association. ”

Her grip on Ben’s hand was firm and the glint in her stone cold blue eyes made Ben uncomfortable. There was something about this woman that just seemed… _off_.

Han was talking to the lead investigator just a few paces ahead of them. He heard his father telling the man about an older gentleman that went by the alias of Snoke. As soon as the name _Snoke_ left Han’s mouth, the blonde woman whipped her head around to stare at him.

Ben reached for Rey’s hand and brought her close to him.

Phasma turned back around and smiled at the two of them.

“I was informed that the person you believe to be involved with the vandalization of the pyramids and the murders could very well be the man behind the theft of countless artifacts from the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Natural History Museum in London as well as the British Museum.”

“Hmm,” Ben said in reply.

“Listen, Professor Solo,” Phasma simpered, placing a hand on his forearm. “We should go to dinner to discuss this. Just the two of us.”

Red flags were being waved in front of his eyes, and his spitfire of a wife was giving the tall blonde a death glare.

Suddenly, Rey was pulling his face down and kissing him deeply. He kissed her back eagerly, because damn if he couldn’t get enough of her. When they finally broke apart for breath, Phasma was smirking at the two of them.

“Oh I see,” she replied. “I didn’t mean to impose.”

“This is Rey Solo,” Ben said, introducing the blonde woman to his lover. “My wife.”

Phasma nodded and started to excuse herself.

“Unfortunately,” Ben added. “I have dinner plans for myself and my lovely wife. But if you would like to meet with _both of us_ , we may be able to schedule something later this week.”

When Phasma had finally walked away, Rey turned to look at him with annoyance.

“What sweetheart?”

“That-- _giant_ was hitting on you.”

“Don’t be ridiculous Rey. I don’t trust that woman at all, I think she was planning something. I have a bad feeling about her.”

“She touched your arm. She made fluttery eyes at you.”

Ben wrapped Rey in his arms and pressed his warm lips to hers.

“Sweetheart, she was trying to play me. And it would never work, because I only have eyes for you.”

Rey ducked her head into his chest and held onto him tightly.

“I’m sorry,” she replied. “I just didn’t like seeing her _all over you_.”

“Hardly, Rey. She touched my arm, that’s all.”

“Well-- at least she’s a respectable height. You tower over me,” Rey grumbled.

“You’re tiny, and I like that I tower over you. Because then I can do this--”

Rey yelped as he threw her over his shoulder, slapping her peachy bottom in the process. He carried her over to the corner of the dig site where their tents were set up. As he placed her back down on her feet, she looked at him and then darted towards the rainforests with her hand placed over her mouth.

Ben raced after her and caught up to her as she fell to her knees, retching into the bushes. He rubbed her back and pulled her hair out of her face.

“I’m never going to get used to this,” she whined as she sat back on her bottom and sucked in a deep breath. Ben grabbed a water bottle from his shoulder bag and cracked it open for her.

“Here, drink. Little sips.”

Once she had drank half the bottle, Ben replaced the cap and put it back into his shoulder bag. He heard the sound of rushing water off in the distance. Ben helped Rey up to her feet and made to turn back towards the pyramids. But Rey looked at him curiously.

“We should--” she said, pointing out into the rainforests where he heard the sounds of the water.

Ben didn’t need to be told twice. He grabbed Rey’s hand and they walked through the foliage together looking for the source of the sounds.

After walking for about ten minutes, they came to a break in the trees. On the other side of those trees, a beautiful waterfall was flowing from a cliffside, with crystal clear water flowing down river. It was a breathtaking sight.

“We are definitely coming back here in a few days,” Ben said.

“Absolutely,” Rey agreed.

She walked over to the water and cupped some in her hands, washing her face.

They didn’t spend too much time admiring the waterfall, knowing full and well that they needed to get back to the excavation site before anybody noticed that they had wandered off. Ben walked through the trees with Rey situated on his back, her arms wrapped around his neck and pressing kisses to his cheek.

When they got back to the site, Jessika was waiting for them by the tents.

“Oh there you guys are. Rey are you okay? You looked like you were going to be sick.”

“Yes, I um, I was just a little dehydrated. Ben made sure I had some water and some shade.”

“Alright.” Jess smiled at them. Ben furrowed his brow but let Rey down his back and started to pack up their tools.

***

As they piled back into the rental car to head back to the hotel, Ben helped Rey into the front and insisted that he would sit in the back. Finn and Jessika crawled into the back seat as Ben slid in next to them. His knees were pressed up against the seat in front of him and he looked comical in the small back seat.

Jessika coughed once to grab everybody’s attention. Ben looked over to her, she was sitting in the middle between him and Finn.

“So-- when is the baby due?” she asked with a knowing look on her face.

Ben’s eyes widened and he tried to play it off as best he could.

“What, no-- uh. Rey?”

Rey turned around and looked at her two friends in the backseat. They were both smiling brightly. Rey groaned.

“We just found out. It’s supposed to be a secret.”

Finn dug in his pocket and pressed a wad of cash into Jessika’s hand.

“What-- what was that?” Ben asked.

“Oh I bet Finn that you would get Rey pregnant before the end of the trip.”

“Do you make bets a lot?” Ben questioned.

They both responded in unison. “Yes.”

Han looked over his shoulder and gave a quick nod.

“You too?” Ben asked.

“Not during this occasion, that would be hardly fair since I was the one to buy you the pregnancy test. But yes, we’ve made bets in the past. _When will Ben propose. When will they get married. How many kids will they have. Will they defile every temple we go to._ ”

“Yes,” Finn and Jess answered together.

“Hey,” Rey grumbled.

“Just-- keep this between us. For now, please.” Ben insisted.

Ben rubbed his eyes and looked out the window.

“You should name him Finn,” Finn suggested.

“Hey, what if they have a girl? Then they should name _her_ Jessika,” Jess replied.

“Those are some good suggestions, we will keep those in mind.” Rey said diplomatically. Ben chuckled under his breath, knowing full and well that Rey would want to name their child something unique and special to the both of them.

***

Back at the hotel, Ben helped Rey out of the front seat of the car. Jessika and Finn waved to them and went their separate ways. Jessika most likely hitting up the spa and Finn more than likely going to the internet cafe.

“Hey, want to meet us in our room so we can call mom together and give her the good news?” Ben asked his father.

“Yeah, kid. That sounds good. Meet you there in about thirty minutes.”

Ben nodded and led Rey into the hotel lobby. They rode the elevators to their floor. Ben opened the door to their room and placed his hand on Rey’s lower back to push her inside. He went straight to the bathroom and started the shower.

Rey walked into the bathroom and hugged him from behind. He turned around and started pulling her clothes off.

“Save water, shower together?” he smirked.

“Always,” she smiled back.

***

Han, Ben and Rey were sat on the edge of the bed as Ben held the laptop on his lap. They were waiting for Leia to answer on her side of the connection. Finally, her face popped up on the screen and she smiled at them.

“Hey! I’ve missed my boys,” she replied. “And Rey, of course I’ve missed you too. How are you dear?”

Ben felt Rey’s fingers tighten around his.

“Well actually, that’s what we are calling you about,” Ben said out loud.

“Is everything okay?” Leia asked with worry written on her face.

“Everything is fine mom. We just wanted you to know that-- well, you’re going to be a grandma.”

Leia squealed so loudly that Han startled and almost fell off the bed. Ben laughed as his father regained his composure.

“I’m getting on the next flight out there-- I want to see you both. Don’t tell me not to come. I’m coming.”

“Fly in to Belize Leia, it’s closer,” Han suggested.

They talked for a few more minutes about everything and nothing at all. Ben had missed his mother, even if it had only been a few weeks. They were always travelling, always on the go. Well-- that might have to change now that a little one was on the way.

They said their goodbyes, and Han left to go back to his hotel room down the hall. Ben and Rey fell into bed and kissed each other lazily until Rey’s stomach grumbled.

“Oh, that reminds me,” he replied. “I wasn’t lying when I said we have dinner plans.”

“Oh?” Rey asked.

“Yeah, dress in a swimsuit and a pretty summer dress on top.”

“What do you have planned?” she asked.

“It’s a surprise, sweetheart. You’ll have to wait and see.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my beta Nori!


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ben surprised Rey with a special dinner.

Ben dressed in a pair of his swim trunks underneath his slacks and button up shirt. He wore sandals on his feet as he fixed his hair in the mirror while he waited for Rey to finish in the bathroom.

When she came out, she was wearing a beautiful yellow sundress. One that he remembered from years ago that she wore in Egypt. It drove him mad then-- and it still drove him mad now. Especially with the black straps of her bikini top showing underneath.

Ben walked her out to the front of the hotel; the sun was already setting, painting the sky in beautiful shades of purple and pink hues.

He took out his phone and called for a taxi as they waited by the curb. Ben grabbed Rey around the waist and turned her in his arms so that his chest was to her back, then he took his phone and snapped a picture of the two of them with the rainforest and the sunset in the background.

As they taxi pulled up, Ben grabbed the door and ushered Rey inside. He scooted in beside her and gave the address for where he was taking her.

It took about forty minutes to get from the heart of the National park to the ocean. Ben had wanted to take Rey to the beach for a while, they just never had found the time. The taxi passed by the public access and instead dropped them off at a secluded area. Rey eyes him curiously.

After paying the fare, Ben grabbed Rey’s hand and walked her down the wooden planks that led to the beach access.

Her mouth hung open as she took in the sight before her. _The surprise._

There was a small table with two chairs set up with tiki torches lit around it. On the table was an already prepared dinner of pasta with salad and garlic bread. Off to the side was a section of pillows set up with lamps and tiki torches. It was just as he imagined it would look.

“How did you do all of this?”

“I had help,” he smirked. Remembering the conversation he had with Poe earlier that morning about the best private beach he could rent out. Poe had hooked him up with a local contact that took care of everything, even down to the catered food.

Ben pulled out the chair for Rey and pushed it in as she sat down. He took his seat and smiled at her as he took his fork out of the silverware roll and began eating.

“I almost asked for sushi, because I know how much you love sushi-- but then I remembered,” he admitted.

Rey laughed out loud, “Yes, it will take some getting used to. Can’t eat a lot of the things I am used to eating.”

“Or drinking,” he added.

They talked and ate the dinner. Rey would peek up at him and smile so adorably. He reached out and took her hand, tracing his fingertips over her knuckles before he laced their fingers together. This woman-- she was _everything_ to him.

As they finished their meal, Ben reached under the table and grabbed a bottle that had been hidden there. It was a bottle of sparkling apple cider.

“We are celebrating,” he replied, bringing the bottle up for Rey to admire as he filled two champagne glasses.

She sipped the cider and stared out at the gently lapping waves.

“Do you think we are having a girl or a boy?” she asked.

Ben hadn’t really thought about it. He didn’t much care whether the baby was a boy or a girl as long as the baby was healthy. That’s all that really mattered.

“I don’t know.”

“I think we are having a boy,” Rey replied.

He smiled at her, imagining a little boy with dark curly locks like his and Rey’s hazel eyes.

“Have you thought of any names sweetheart?”

She blushed a little and shook her head, “No I haven’t. We will have to think of something special. Something meaningful.”

“I have no doubt that we will.”

***

Ben helped Rey up from her seat and gently pulled her sundress over her head. Rey started unbuttoning his shirt from the top, down his torso until she got to the end and moved the pieces of fabric aside to rub her hands along his abdominals.

“You are so hot,” she said, mouthing at his neck.

Ben’s hands tightened on her waist as he looked down into her eyes.

“You are the sexiest fucking thing I’ve ever laid eyes on.”

She laughed, but wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. Ben staggered backwards towards the pillows and tossed Rey’s dress down. Followed by his shirt and his pants.

“You will still think that when I’m huge and grumpy?” she asked.

Ben let his hands run down the plane of her flat stomach.

“Sweetheart, I can’t wait to see your stomach round with _our_ baby. You will always be beautiful and sexy to me.”

Rey smiled brightly and he ducked down to kiss her lips again. “Now come on, let’s go swimming,” he said, pulling her along towards the water.

The water was warm, Rey wrapped her legs around his waist as he treaded water. There was rarely a moment when they weren’t kissing. Ben felt Rey’s soft breasts pressing into his chest as he held her tightly. The water lapping a their sides as the moon reflected against the water.

It wasn’t long before Ben was carrying her out of the water, kissing her as he made his way back towards the pillows. He laid her down gently and kissed her passionately. When he finally broke away, he grabbed one of the beach towels folded up on the pillows and wrapped it around Rey’s body. They laid down together in a tangle of towels and pillows, staring at the starry night sky.

His hand ran down her body, grabbing her breast along the way as he pushed his hand down the front of her bikini bottoms. He found her clit and started rubbing it in swift circles. Rey gasped and pressed her hand against his prominent bulge.

Ben slipped his fingers through her folds and teased her there for a while. She was moaning already which made him impossibly harder.

He rolled them over so that she was underneath him on the pillows. Ben untied the top of her bikini and pulled it off of her body, revealing her beautiful, perky breasts. He lowered his mouth to her neck and worked his way down her body, kissing and licking her tits until her nipples were wet and stiff from his attentions.

He continued his journey down her body, kissing her through her damp swimsuit bottoms. He pulled them to the side, exposing her pretty, pink slit to the cool night air. Ben sealed his mouth over her and licked through her folds. Rey rocked her hips against his lips and tongue.

She always tasted so sweet. He could eat her out for hours. Ben swirled his tongue around her clit making Rey jolt with pleasure. He felt Rey’s fingers burying into his curly locks and tugging lightly. The feeling of her nails scraping against his scalp made a shiver run down his spine.

He swiped his tongue through her folds and suckled on her clit. Rey bucked her hips and Ben slung an arm over her waist to keep her in place as he continued his ministrations. She was getting close, he could tell by the way she was rocking her hips and the tightening of her abdominals. Her knees caged him between her legs and he pulled away from her clit with a slick pop. Ben kissed her nub before moving down to thrust his tongue inside of her. His nose bumped up against her clit and she moaned.

Finally, she was crashing into her orgasm, contracting around his tongue so deliciously. When she finally came down from her release, Ben grabbed her bikini bottoms and slid them down her thighs. He pushed his own swim trunks down, releasing his erection.

Ben settled himself between her splayed thighs and kissed her lips swiftly--the thought of Rey tasting herself on his lips made his cock even harder. He grabbed his erection and pressed it to her heat, rubbing it back and forth, collecting her arousal on the head of his cock.

“Ben please.”

He smirked at Rey as he pushed the head of his cock into her pussy. He felt her walls tighten around him as he continued to slide inside at an absurdly slow pace. Ben let out a breath as he bottomed out within her.

Rey’s nails scraped down his back until she reached the band of his swim trunks. She pushed them down, revealing his ass to the night air and grabbing it viciously.

Ben chuckled into her neck as he pressed a kiss there.

“I swear to god Ben, if you don’t start--”

He gave a harsh thrust, rendering her speechless.

“Oh… yes,” she moaned. And hearing her completely blissed out only served to make him more aroused.

“You can’t get enough of my cock. Can you?”

“Ben,” she blushed.

He dipped down and captured her lips in a heated kiss as he quickened his pace.

“I fucking love you Rey. You are so gorgeous. So sexy.”

She dug her nails into his bottom, encouraging him to thrust harder. Ben snuck his hand under her thigh and pushed it up to her chest, giving him a better angle to thrust at.

This way, he could hit that rough, textured spot inside her that made her jolt. He pushed her leg over his shoulder as he continued to rock into her. Then he took her other leg and repeated the same motion until both legs were over his shoulders, her knees pressing her breasts together as they jiggled with each thrust.

He loved the way they bounced and he wondered what they would look like once they were swollen with milk. That thought alone nearly made him come.

“You want my come?” he cooed as he ran his nose along her jawline, pressing kisses to her chin.

“Yes, Ben, yes.”

He grabbed her thighs and lifted up on his knees to pound into her. Then he trailed one hand up her thigh, finding her clit and rubbing it quickly.

Ben felt her walls fluttering as she fell over the edge again, pulling him over with her. He came inside her, shooting thick ropes of come into her tight heat.

He collapsed on top of her, pillowing his head between her pert breasts. The sounds of the waves crashing against the shore along with the steady beating of Rey’s heart, lulling him into a sated state.

Once he came down from his release, Ben pulled out of her and groaned at the loss. He pulled his swim trunks back over his hips, tucking his cock back inside. Then he rolled back over and helped Rey put his bikini back on.

He was sitting behind her as he tied the top of her bikini. Ben pressed kisses to her neck and shoulders and rubbed her arms contently. He gathered their clothes and helped Rey back into her yellow sundress.

Ben pulled his pants up and shrugged on his button up shirt. Rey walked over and smiled at him as she helped him to button his shirt. Once she was finished, Ben wrapped her up in his arms and kissed her deeply.

“Well, this was a thoughtful surprise,” Rey said.

Ben gathered their things and held her hand as he walked them to towards the beach access.

“I’m so glad you enjoyed it. I just wanted to make the mother of my child happy.”

He pulled out his phone and called for a cab. It would only be a few minutes before the cab would arrive to pick them up and take them back to the hotel.

Ben wrapped Rey up in his arms and kissed her again.

“I love you.” he couldn’t help but to say it again.

“I love you too Ben.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my beta Nori!!! <3


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning for mentions of human sacrifice.

True to her word, Leia arrived the following evening. Han, Rey, and Ben picked her up from the airport in Belize and drove her back to the hotel near the Tikal national forest.

Ben sat in the front of the rental car with his father while Leia sat beside of Rey, holding her hand and telling her how happy she was that they were making her a grandmother.

Ben smiled to himself, as his father drove in silence. Watching the setting sun paint the the sky in hues of pink and purple. It was a small reprieve from the conflict that was sure to come. It was only a matter of time before Snoke made himself known. And Ben was insistent that they be prepared.

When they arrived back at the hotel, Finn and Jessika were waiting at the bar and waved them over.

They each greeted Leia with hugs and bright smiles.

Han cleared his throat and offered his wife a seat at the bar before sitting down beside of her. Ben did the same, pulling out a barstool for Rey and taking the seat beside her. Once they were all seated, it was Han that broke the silence.

“I know that we are all here celebrating the _good news_ for our love birds here. But there is another matter at hand that needs to be discussed.”

Han looked up into Ben’s eyes and nodded once for Ben to take over.

“We found out something, a few weeks ago. We know who is behind the human sacrifice. And it hasn’t been just one occasion. It’s been multiple,” Ben said.

“Who?” Finn asked with wide eyes.

Ben sucked in his breath as he whispered, “Snoke.”

Han placed a hand on Leia’s back and rubbed soothing circles. Ben took in his mother’s stone cold expression on her face.

Jessika groaned before she replied, “How. And why? Honestly, what are the odds of it being _him_ and for him to be _here_ where we are?”

“That’s what Ben I are were wondering,” Rey spoke up. “But we both think that he’s been following us. Perhaps, all of us. So we need to be cautious and alert.”

The bartender came over with glasses of champagne for everybody and a glass of sparkling cider for Rey.

“Congratulations,” the bartender said with a smile as she returned to the other patrons.

Everybody downed their drinks in one go, this was supposed to be a time of celebration. The beginning of a new chapter of his and Rey’s life. But for now, all he felt was anxiety over what was to come.

After looking around the bar and making sure nobody was listening, Ben asked if anybody had any suggestions as to what their next course of action should be.

“The library. We need to find out the reason behind his motivations,” Finn suggested.

Ben thought it over and nodded, “You can join Rey and I at the library tomorrow morning.”

“And what about me?” asked Jessika.

Ben smiled at the girl as he suggested, “Would you be up for tailing somebody?”

Jessika furrowed her brow and motioned for him to continue.

“There was a blonde woman at the site yesterday, I have a feeling she isn’t who she says she is. I want you to follow her, find out what she’s up to. Take my father with you, so you can keep each other safe.”

“Alright, blonde woman. She should stick out like a sore thumb,” Jessika replied.

“She’s a giant,” Rey snapped. “And handsy.”

Ben placed a hand on Rey’s lower back and pressed a kiss to her temple. His fiery girl. He loved how possessive she could be. They were both possessive, if he were honest with himself.

“And what do you want me to do?” came the voice of his mother.

Ben turned to his mother, he had almost forgotten she was there. “You will stay at the hotel. Get a massage. Go to the spa. I don’t know. But we will reconvene when we all return tomorrow evening.”

“Benjamin Organa Solo, I am _not_ going to sit around this hotel like a helpless damsel. I want to tail the blonde giant.”

Ben’s eyes widened at his mother’s outburst. Han chuckled under his breath and smirked at him. “Now you’ve done it.” he remarked.

“Alright fine, you can go with Jessika and dad. Just-- be careful. Please. My baby wants to meet his or her grandmother.”

Leia jabbed him in the chest. “Don’t try to guilt me. I’m doing this Ben.”

“Whatever,” Ben said while rolling his eyes. “Okay, we will meet for breakfast at 7 a.m. and then we will split up. We will meet back up for dinner at the Mijaro Restaurant. Does that sound good to everybody.”

Everyone nodded in agreement. Ben rose from his seat, grabbing Rey’s hand and pulling her up.

“I’m taking Rey back to the room, she needs to rest. I will see you all in the morning,” Ben said as he held his wife’s hand and made the way over to the elevators.

***

The next morning, the group met for breakfast and ate omelettes as quickly as they could. Ben called a cab, letting his parents and Jessika take the rental for their task.

As Ben and Rey were waiting outside for the cab, Poe pulled up and honked at them. Finn brushed past them with a blush on his cheeks.

“So I may have told Poe, and he offered to take us to the library,” Finn said nervously. Ben smiled to himself when he realized how close the two of them had grown.

“Let me cancel the cab,” Ben replied with a smirk.

***

Poe was a talkative man, Ben realized. As they rode towards the local town that held a quaint little library with archives of dated books on the Maya culture.

The outside of the library was made of stone, the door was wooden and had intricate designs carved into the wood. They parked and the four of them walked towards the library.

Inside, the building was larger than it appeared from the outside. There was an older gentleman standing behind a desk near the front of the room. Poe walked over to him and spoke to him in the native language. Ben knew a bit of Spanish, he was by no means fluent. It appeared that bringing Poe along was more beneficial than he had originally assumed.

When Poe returned to them, he pointed towards a door that led back to the dated archives.

“He gave me the key and said we could look at the archives as long as we don’t damage anything,” Poe said, holding up the brass key.

They walked towards the door and waited for Poe to unlock it. Once he pushed the door open and they walked inside the room, they looked around at the stacks of leather bound books. The pages had yellowed from age.

Finn scanned the stacks until he found a few books on human sacrifice. He grabbed them and walked over to a small table and sat down as he started to read.

Ben started looking for some books of the god of death. It appeared that for whatever reason, Snoke was trying to appease the death god by sacrificing humans. Had he gone completely mental?

One he found a manuscript about Yum Cimil, he took it over to the table and flipped through the pages. Rey sat down beside him with a book of her own. And when he looked over he saw that she had grabbed one entitled “Ixchel, the Goddess of Fertility.”

Ben placed his hand down on her thigh and squeezed it lightly.

“Hey, listen to this,” Finn said as he straightened up at the table. “This is a passage from the K’ichi’ document _Titulo de Totonicapan._ It’s a little hard to decipher because it is all written in glyphs-- but it would appear that the human sacrifice featured heart and arrow sacrifice. They would flay the victim’s skin and wear it.”

“Ew,” Rey mouthed under her breath.

“You don’t think Snoke did that, do you? I mean-- I wouldn’t put it past him.”

Ben looked at his own manuscript and racked his brain trying to put all the pieces together.

“It appears that the Mayans did the human sacrifice as a gift to the gods to remain prosperous. But that would mean sacrificing humans to Itzamna, god of the heavens. But he was sacrificing humans for the death god. What did he think he would accomplish by doing that? Did he think he could summon the death god himself?”

Poe cleared his throat and sat down beside of Finn.

“There is an urban legend, that states if you make a sacrifice to the death god, he will grant you his powers.”

“So you think Snoke was trying to gain power from Yum Cimil?” Rey asked.

“I don’t know,” Poe replied. “It seems really out there.”

Ben would have said the same thing not too long ago. But after the events of Egypt, he wasn’t as skeptical as he used to be. What if Snoke had angered this god of death?

Rey closed her book and returned it to the shelf. They spent the rest of the afternoon reading up about human sacrifice, the god of death, and the urban legends that that existed in the Maya culture.

***

“Are we getting close to the restaurant?” Rey asked as she clutched her stomach, “I’m starving.”

“Almost there,” Poe assured her.

Ben grabbed a granola bar out of his pocket and handed it to his wife. She ate it eagerly, telling him that she always felt nauseous if she didn’t eat every few hours.

Once they arrived at the Mijaro Restaurant, they saw that Leia, Han, and Jessika were already seated inside, next to the open bay doors that allowed the breeze to come through. The doors were lined with tropical plants and trees, making it serene and semi private. They were the only ones dining in this area of the restaurant.

They all sat down, pushing two tables together to give them more room.

“So how did it go?” Ben asked, eager to find out more of what Phasma was hiding.

“Your intuition was right Ben,” Jessika replied. “We followed her and she met up with Snoke. Luckily she didn’t see us tailing her.”

“So she is involved in all of this too. I knew he had to have somebody working with him. He couldn't have done all of this on his own. What could he have possibly offered her?” Ben said.

“Well, she did mention that some artifacts had gone missing from the museums in London. What if she wasn’t lying about that? Maybe Snoke promised to return them in exchange for her help?” Rey offered.

“That’s possible, or she could have made up the entire thing to lure us away,” Ben added.

Han slapped his hands on the table, breaking the muted silence between them all. “And did any of you find anything of importance at the library?”

Finn cleared his throat, “We believe so. We think we know the motivation behind the human sacrifices. It is somewhat hard to believe but after-- Egypt, I think we can all keep an open mind.”

“What happened in Egypt?” Poe asked.

Jessika laughed out loud and wiped tears from her eyes. “Now that is a long story. Who would like to do the honors?”

Ben rolled his eyes and placed his menu on the table.

“Alright fine, I will tell it. Now Poe, keep in mind that I am one of the most skeptical people on this planet. But apparently,” he grit his teeth in irritation, “there are things that are beyond explanation.”

“Okay…” Poe said, looking around at everybody seated at the table.

“It all started with an academic trip to Egypt and an ancient curse.”

Poe’s eyes widened as he steepled his fingers in front of his lips. “Go on.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you Nori! <3 
> 
> Return of the nerd links....
> 
> Human sacrifice in Maya culture  
> https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_sacrifice_in_Maya_culture
> 
> Maya Gods and Goddesses   
> http://www.crystalinks.com/mayangods.html
> 
> The restaurant that they go to at the end is real. You can check out the website and look at the pictures.   
> http://www.restaurantemijaro.com


	16. Chapter 16

“What exactly are we looking for?” Ben asked Rey, as they trekked through the rainforests just on the perimeter of the Tikal National forest.

It was dark out, and Rey had dragged him out here.

“I told you already,” she said in a hushed voice. “I was reading that book in the library about the fertility goddess. I think that we may have gotten pregnant because of her.”

“We got pregnant because you aren’t on birth control anymore, not to mention our active sex life.” Ben mused, pulling the branch of a tree out of the way for Rey to pass. “And anyway, that doesn’t explain why we are out here, in the middle of the night.”

“Ixchel is the moon goddess of fertility, I figured if we were going to get any answers-- it would be tonight, just look at the full moon Ben.”

He stared up at the canopy of trees above their heads and could see the full round moon high above them. Ben sighed as he continued to walk through the dense jungles. If Rey wanted to investigate this fertility goddess, who was he to deny her.

They walked for what felt like hours. Then Ben heard the familiar sound of rushing water.

“Do you think we are by the waterfalls we saw earlier in the week?” he asked.

“You know, water is a representation of rebirth. Maybe it’s a clue,” Rey replied.

She grabbed Ben’s arm suddenly and pulled him back to face her.

“Ben! Those storms. That all happened at the same time that we found those ruins.”

He grabbed her cheek and brought his lips down to her own, giving her a chaste kiss.

“You’re right,” he said with a smile.

She looked pleased that he hadn’t shot her theory down. Ben grabbed her hand and laced their fingers together as they made their way through the foliage. As they broke through the trees, they saw the waterfall from before. The moonlight was shining down on the water, lighting it enough so they could see.

The night was filled with the sounds of mammals and insects, buzzing lightly, almost lulling them into a state of calm. Ben felt that familiar pull. Rey seemed to have felt it too, as she let go of his hand and made for the pooling water. Ben ran up after her and caught her arm.

“Rey, what are you doing?”

“Don’t you feel it Ben? We need to go in.”

She started tugging off her clothes, tossing them on the grassy bank. Ben began removing his own clothing and placing their messenger bag down on top of it. Rey was left in her plain white panties and matching bra. Ben dropped his pants, leaving him in only his boxers, and prayed that this wasn’t a mistake.

“Alright sweetheart, let’s see how well our swim lessons have gone,” he said with a smirk.

Rey stuck her tongue out at him and dived into the pool of water. He couldn’t help but feel his heart constrict a little until her head broke the surface.

“Come in Ben,” she said, splashing him with water.

He jumped into the water, swimming up to her and pulling Rey into his arms. Her body was slick against his and he kissed her eagerly.

Her white bra and panties left little to the imagination as he watched her nipples harden beneath the fabric. His cock twitched at the sight. They started kissing again, Ben’s hands rubbing up and down her slick back. But then they felt the pull again.

Ben broke the kiss and looked towards the waterfall. The connection-- whatever it was, was leading them towards the waterfall.

Ben swam ahead of Rey, always looking back to make sure she was doing alright. She swam like a pro. Nobody would have thought that a short three years ago, she couldn’t swim.

She caught up to him, wrapping her body around his back, her legs immediately going around his waist. Ben could feel her soft breasts pressing into his back and it made his eyes roll back into his head. He ran his hands down her thighs and hooked his forearms beneath her knees, slowly wading through the water towards the waterfalls.

The water crashed down over their heads as Ben pushed his way through the waterfall. Rey’s grip around his neck tightened until they made it past the falls. Behind the waterfall was a stone cave-like dwelling.

Ben turned around to allow Rey to climb off his back onto the solid stone ground. He followed after her, looking around at the darkened cave.

The cave itself wasn’t very deep. And when Ben wrapped an arm around Rey’s waist, there seemed to be an illumination that glowed, beckoning them to the far end of the cave. They walked together towards the light. Letting it guide them.

Once they reached the light, Ben noticed that it was shining over a section of the cave wall that had a series of glyphs carved into the surface. Ben rubbed his hand over the wall gently, touching the carved glyphs with just his fingertips. He could tell the glyphs were old by the look of them, unlike the ones that he and Rey found carved into the temple of Tikal.

Ben and Rey took their time examining the glyphs, and what they found was astonishing.

_Two souls come together to form one. A light and a dark to create a balance between. Their destinies will always be intertwined, written in the stars through each lifetime that they lead. A blessing will be bestowed upon them. Bringing peace and prosperity. A child born of both light and dark, will be the answer that they seek._

“Light and dark, obviously you are the light,” Ben remarked.

Rey’s eyes had filled with tears as she read the glyphs out loud again. She turned to look at him and poked him in the chest.

“You could be the light. You are nothing but a sweetheart.”

“Maybe with you. I am surly and grouchy with other people. And your name is Rey, you are literally a beam of light.”

“Do you realize what this means?” Rey asked, tears filling her eyes again. “We were always meant for this. This--” she grabbed his hand and placed it on her lower stomach. “This-- our baby, has always been part of our destiny. We were always meant to be together. You are my soul mate, Ben Solo.”

Ben looked down at his wife, her lips were quivering as she stared at him wide those wide, searching hazel eyes. He closed the distance and kissed her deeply, passionately. He picked her up and walked her over to a moss covered section of the stone ground. Ben laid down on his back and held her waist and he looked up at her.

Rey leaned down and pressed her breasts to his naked chest, biting his bottom lip and tugging on it lightly. Ben’s hands went to her back and unclasped her bra, tossing the wet garment to the side.

His hands found their way to her tits, squeezing the soft mounds and pinching her nipples between his fingers.

Rey rocked her hips against his and he felt himself growing hard.

Ben needed to be inside her, he needed to feel her warmth surrounding him. With little patience left for her teasing, he grabbed the back of her panties and ripped them in two.

“Ben!” she gasped.

“It’s fine,” he replied, pushing the band of his underwear down to free his erection. He grabbed himself and rubbed his dick through her already slick folds. She was practically throbbing against the head of his cock, both of them so eager to be connected in the most intimate of ways.

Rey grabbed his wrists and pinned them to either side of his head. Her dominance only served to make him more aroused. Rey rose to her knees, letting go of one of his wrists to grab his cock. She gave it a few swift tugs which made Ben hiss with pleasure.

Ben started to buck his hips, hoping that she would free him from this torture. He wanted to be inside of her, _needed_ to be inside her.

She tightened her grip on his cock as a warning, and he tried to relax. It took every muscle in his body not to grab her hips and push her down on his cock.

Rey must have taken pity on him, he was looking at her with a pout and no doubt the puppy dog eyes that always made her melt. She lined him up with her entrance and sank slowly down onto him.

Ben pressed his heels into the moss covering the stone and bucked his hips, hilting himself inside of Rey. She placed her hands on his chest and started to ride him. Ben licked his lips as he watched her pretty tits bounce. She had never been more beautiful than right now, nude and drenched from the waterfall, the luminescent lights shining down on them from the cave.

Ben sat up and wrapped his arm around Rey’s waist, the other hand going to her breast where he teased and plucked at her nipple. His thighs were pressed up against her peachy ass as they moved together to chase their orgasms.

He kissed her, sweetly, searchingly. Pressing his tongue between her lips and touching it lightly to her own. His chest felt tight, an overwhelming sensation threatening to burst from within. It was _love_. He felt such immense love for this woman. His wife, the mother of his child.

Ben thought back to those glyphs and what message it had sent. That Rey, _his_ Rey-- was indeed his destiny. They were two parts of a whole, and without the other it was obvious that something was missing. It had been missing for most of his life, never feeling a connection with anybody, thinking he was broken. That is-- until this woman walked into his class. And he thought, even then-- that it was some cruel twist of fate. That the woman he would be infatuated with would be the only woman he couldn’t have.

But as fate would have it, they were brought together.

Ben held Rey tightly to him, slowing his thrusts as he looked deep into her eyes and pressed featherlight kisses to her lips. She was clutching his face, rubbing her thumbs against his cheeks as they kissed.

He laid back down, bringing Rey down with him as he steadied his feet and held her hips in an iron grip. Her hard nipples brushed against his chest as she sat up. Ben moved one hand to cup one of her tits and massaged the mound.

They met, thrust for thrust, and Ben knew that it wouldn’t be long until he found his release. He wanted Rey to go over the edge first-- he wanted to feel her come on his dick.

The hand holding her breast, moved down the expanse of her taut stomach. A passing thought went through his mind of what he stomach will look like as their baby grows. He brushed the thought aside and continued his journey, finding her clit and rubbing it swift circles.

Ben felt her walls begin to tighten around him, she was so close. She moaned as she reached her release, her walls fluttering around his cock. Ben held her even closer as he sped up his thrusts, chasing his own release. Only a few more thrusts and he was coming deep inside of her. Filling her to the brim with his come.

Ben brushed the damp hair out of her face and clutched her cheek, bringing his lips to hers in a soft kiss.

They looked deeply into one another’s eyes, and stayed just like that. Neither wanting to separate. They stayed connected, feeling their hearts beat as one. Two souls that had become one, behind the waterfall on a moonlit night in Tikal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my beta Nori! 
> 
> We are getting so close to the end of this story, and I wanted to let everyone know that they will be a third installment that will be the final one in the series. It will be entitled “Army of Darkness.”


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Thanksgiving American readers!

“I really don’t like the idea of you coming along for this Rey. I have no idea if it will be a trap.”

Rey was pulling her hair back into a bun as she glared at him. Ben knew that Rey wasn’t going to let him meet with Phasma on his own, but he thought it was worth a shot. The last thing he wanted was to put Rey in danger.

“I’m not letting you go to lunch with that _giant_ by yourself. We are a team, we do this together or not at all.”

He sighed as he walked up behind her, placing his hands over her flat stomach as he kissed her neck.

“Yes of course, but you are carrying some precious cargo.”

“Did you really just refer to our baby as cargo?” Rey chuckled. She spun in his arms and pulled him down for a kiss.

Ben’s hands rested on her lower back before dipping lower and cupping her ass. She let out a little squeak of surprise at his wandering hands.

“ _Doctor_ Solo,” she said with a smirk on her lips. The little _minx_. She knew what that name did to him, and they didn’t have time to fool around.

“Come on sweetheart, we need to get moving.”

He pulled her along with him as they exited their hotel room.

In the lobby, Finn, Poe, and Jessika were already seated, waiting for them. The three of them were tasked with breaking into Phasma’s hotel room while she was at lunch with Rey and Ben.

Ben and Rey were going to take the rental while the others took a cab to Phasma’s hotel. Ben and Rey were going to pick up Phasma and keep her distracted at lunch while also trying to get some information out of her. This woman worked for Snoke. There had to be something more they could find out from her.

It wasn’t long before Ben and Rey had arrived at Phasma’s hotel. Ben sent out a quick text to let the woman know that they had arrived to pick her up. Within moments, the statuesque blonde walked out of the front doors to the hotel and made her way straight to their rental car.

She climbed into the back seat without complaint and smiled warmly at the two of them. It put Ben on edge.

***

Rey’s hand rested on Ben’s thigh beneath the table as they sat across from Phasma. She was talking to them adamantly about the theft of the museums in London. Ben nodded his head along as she described the many artifacts that had gone missing.

“Why hasn’t this been reported? It is a large theft of artifacts, and I haven’t heard a single bit of news regarding this,” Ben asked with intrigue.

He was hoping to throw Phasma off her game, but the woman could not be shaken up.

“We kept it out of the media. The last thing we need is word that there has been a theft of that extent in London. And it would lessen our chances of catching the man behind this. Speaking of-- have the two of you heard or seen of him since you last saw him in Egypt? Do you think there is any possibility that he could be here in Guatemala?”

She certainly got right to the point. Ben felt Rey’s hand squeeze his thigh. Then she spoke up.

“We haven’t seen Snoke since Egypt, when he shot my husband.”

They kept Phasma occupied for what felt like a generous amount of time, hoping that Finn, Poe, and Jessika had gotten any information of where Snoke was hiding out, or any sort of contact information for him.

Rey slyly sent a text as they paid for the meal. As they left the restaurant, Ben opened the passenger side door for Rey, placing his hand on her lower back to help her into the car and shutting the door behind her.

The drive back to Phasma’s hotel was awkward, to say the least. Ben parked the rental car and the two of them bid Phasma goodbye. They waited as they watched the woman enter the hotel. Then Rey pulled out her cellphone again, calling Finn hurriedly.

“I texted you,” she spat out. Then she paused for a moment before replying. “She is on her way up there now-- get out of there.”

She hung up the phone and sat on the edge of her seat, peering out the window.

“They haven’t left yet?” he asked.

“No, not yet.”

They waited, watching the front doors to the hotel like a hawk. Within minutes, their three friends walked stealthily out of the hotel and made straight for their car. Finn, Poe, and Jess piled in the backseat of the car as Ben pulled out of the parking lot and onto the main road.

“Did you find his location,” Ben asked, meeting Finn’s eyes in the rearview mirror.

“We did, we found it on her computer. Poe did a little hacking,” Finn said with admiration.

Ben asked for the location and Poe told him, Ben started putting the address into his GPS.

“Call my parents,” He said to Rey, who started to grab her phone. “Let them know where we are going. And to be on alert.”

***

The GPS took them to a dirt road that drove through the rainforests. Ben drove slowly so the rental car wouldn’t get dinged by any stray branches or the uneven terrain.

“This is really out there,” Ben said under his breath. And it wasn’t much of a surprise. Snoke needed to stay hidden. Especially since he knew they were on to him. Phasma had surely supplied Snoke with that information.

Ben checked his phone and groaned as he lost service. At least Rey had given his parents the address if things went south. He patted his jacket pocket and felt the pistol his father had handed him earlier that morning before they split up for their tasks.

_“Take this Ben.” His father had said, handing him the gun with the handle pointed towards Ben._

_Ben grabbed it and thanked ever god in the universe that his father had taught him from a young age about guns and the proper usage. He slid on the safety and holstered it in the hidden pocket on the inside of his jacket._

_“Thanks dad.”_

_“Be safe, Ben… and come back in one piece.”_

Even though that had been only a few hours ago, it felt like a lifetime. Ben thought about his father and his mother. They were working with the local authorities today, handing over the artifact that Ben, Rey, and Han had found in the hidden temple.

Han was going to give the authorities all of the information they had on Snoke. Anything that could help them to put him away for a lifetime.

And Ben was hoping that they could surprise Snoke. He wouldn’t be expecting them, and the aged man could hardly fight against the five of them. The plan was foolproof.

Once they incapacitated Snoke, they would deliver him to the authorities.

The road started to widen and as Ben looked ahead through the foliage he could see what looked like an abandoned stone house nestled back against a wall of trees.

It was completely remote, and if they hadn’t been looking, it wouldn’t have even been seen from the dirt road. It was the perfect hideout for somebody that didn’t want to be found.

Ben parked the car and walked around to the other side to let Rey out. The others piled out of the back seat and started following behind them.

Poe rushed ahead and put his hands on Ben’s chest.

“Wait, wait,” he said, looking nervous.

“What?” Ben asked.

“Shouldn’t we uh… maybe just you and I go first. And then the others can join after. You know— ambush him.”

Ben thought about it and looked to Rey. He didn’t want her in the line of danger. This was the perfect excuse for her to stay back. If he and Poe could take Snoke by surprise, then Rey wouldn’t need to get involved.

“Alright,” Ben replied.

“Ben no,” Rey started.

He silenced her with a kiss. “It’s okay Rey. Let us do this. Come in after ten minutes. If we are lucky, then you won’t even need to ambush at all.”

“But we’re a team,” She insisted.

Ben kissed her again, placing a hand on her abdomen. “Precious cargo,” he reminded her.

He grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze before he turned on his heel and headed inside the abandoned house.

Ben held his gun down by his side as he and Poe walked inside. Everything was dark and his feet crunched over loose gravel.

“This way,” Poe offered, walking towards a hallway that led back to the shadows.

The further they walked, the better Ben’s eyes adjusted to the dark. He saw something that looked like a light or a fire. It was dim and far down the cavern.

As he walked, the light grew bigger and Ben noticed that it was a torch hanging on the wall. He grabbed it and walked into the room just off to the side.

When he walked into the room, he was met face-to-face with the barrel of a gun.

Snoke smiled wickedly at him.

“Great job Dameron. You got him in here alone just as I asked of you.”

Snoke elbowed Ben in the stomach and pulled his gun out of his hand, tossing it to the far end of the room.

“Come on _Doctor_. Let’s have a chat, shall we?”

Ben turned to look at Poe with fury. The man had sold them out. _But why?_

Poe looked down at his feet as if he was ashamed of himself.

“Tie him up,” Snoke said. Tossing some rope to Poe.

Poe started to tie Ben’s hands together and then his feet. He crouched down on the ground in front of Ben as he worked the knots.

“Why Poe?” Ben whispered.

Poe remained silent, but his fingers stilled on Ben’s wrist. Poe started tapping out a message against Ben’s wrist.

Tap, tap, tap. Pause. Tap, tap. Pause. Tap, tap, tap. Pause. Tap, tap. Pause. Tap.

It was Morse code. Sister. He was saying sister. Ben looked at him curiously and Poe started tapping away at Ben’s wrist again.

_Has sister._

Ben understood, Snoke must have blackmailed Poe into this. He had Poe’s sister. And from the way Poe spoke of his family, he would do anything for them.

Ben gave him a small nod. He thought of Rey and the little baby that was nestled in her womb. He would have done the same thing if Snoke had Rey or their child. He would do anything for the ones he loved.

Poe backed away and continued to stare at the ground, looking guilty and nervous.

Snoke walked up to Ben, holstering the gun and pulling out a knife instead.

“It is imperative that you don’t scream. Understand?” Snoke chuckled.

The older man grabbed Ben’s jacket and pulled it off his shoulder. Snoke started to slice into Ben’s shoulder, carving something into the sensitive skin there.

Tears welled up in Ben’s eyes, but he refused to scream. He refused to give Snoke the satisfaction.

When Snoke pulled away, he wiped the wound clean with a cloth.

“There. Now you will never forget who owns you.”

Ben looked down to the blood that was pooling at his shoulder.

“KR?” He gritted out. Looking at the letters in confusion. “What?”

“Yes.” Snoke replied. “Kylo Ren, my apprentice.”

Ben’s heart sunk.

“What do you want?”

“Just your loyalty. We aren’t so different, you and I.”

Poe cleared his throat from behind. “My sister.”

“In due time,” Snoke replied. “In due time. I have to insure Kylo’s loyalty first.”

The man had gone mad. Ben swallowed hard and met Snoke’s leery gaze.

“I’ll do what you want, just let his sister go. Nobody needs to get hurt.”

Snoke smiled as he replied, “Perfect.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my beta Nori! 
> 
> I actually looked up the Morse code. But if I described it wrong, I’m sorry. I know nothing about Morse code.


	18. Chapter 18

As long as Poe continued to distract Snoke with the issue of Poe’s sister being held hostage, Ben could twist his hands enough to reach the back pocket of his pants where he kept his pocket knife.

Poe hadn’t tied the knots around Ben’s wrists very tight. He wanted to believe that Poe had done this on purpose. Perhaps he had.

The two men were still talking-- arguing actually. It occurred to Ben that Poe would do anything for his sister, even yell into the face of an armed man. Ben bit his bottom lip as he twisted a bit further, feeling the cold hilt of the pocket knife on his fingertips.

Finally, he was able to grasp the knife, he flipped it open and started to cut at the rope wrapped around his wrists. He looked up and saw that Snoke was pointing to a closet in the back of the room.

“She’s in there. Take her and leave. My reinforcements are on the way and you are of little use to me now.”

Poe rushed over to the closet, throwing the door open. Ben watched as he felt the rope tear and loosen. Poe was holding a girl of what looked like nine years old. She had red, swollen eyes. Poe untied the gag tied around her head and the girl sobbed into his neck.

“Lo siento, lo siento. Lo siento mi amigo.” _I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I’m sorry my friend._

Ben looked into Poe’s regretful and tortured eyes as he replied. “Entiendo.” _I understand_.

Snoke kicked at the back of Poe’s knee making him stumble as he held on tightly to the little girl.

“Get out before I change my mind,” Snoke yelled.

Ben felt the rope give way as Poe took his sister out of the room and back towards the entrance to the house. Ben kept his hands behind his back, and the knife clutched tightly in his fist.

It was apparent that Snoke didn’t know the others had traveled along with them. Ben felt like Poe had something up his sleeve.

When Snoke approached Ben, he squatted next to him and began speaking to Ben in a soft, soothing voice— almost as if the crazed man _cared_.

“Kylo, my boy. It hurts me that it had to come to this. If you had come _willingly_ the first time around, it would have saved us both a lot of trouble.”

Snoke leaned in to touch Ben’s face and Ben jerked away.

“What is it that you think you’ve accomplished?” Ben spat. “Summoning a Death god to do your bidding? Did you honestly think that you wouldn’t get caught? You murdered somebody.”

“Once the Death god gives me the power that I seek, then nobody would possibly be able to stop me.”

“And what do you need me for?” Ben asked.

“You know that I’ve always been in this for the fortune and the glory. You— I need you, for your field expertise. That coupled with my immense power, will make me untouchable and rich beyond belief.”

Ben smirked. Snoke did it for the _greed_. And he was too immersed in his own ideals to notice the rope that was no longer tied to his wrists, but laying in a pile on the floor.

Ben swung his arm out, thrusting the knife into Snoke’s thigh. The old man screamed and grabbed at the wound. The blood started pooling on the floor.

“Doesn’t look like your Death god is here to save you,” Ben snarked, kicking Snoke’s gun out of his hand.

Ben scrambled on the ground holstering Snoke’s gun before finding his own. He held the gun in his hand as he turned around, but Snoke was no longer standing in the room. Ben followed the trail of blood that led out into the hallway.

He snuck into the hallway, keeping his back against the dusty clay wall. He heard footsteps in the distance and he cursed to himself. He couldn’t let the snake get away a second time.

Ben held the gun in front of him as he walked down the corridor. Suddenly, he felt a tug on his belt. He whirled around and aimed the gun at the person behind him.

“Fuck, sweetheart,” He cursed as he holstered the gun and pulled Rey into an embrace. “What are you doing in here.”

“Poe came out, him and Finn are taking care of Poe’s sister, Lina. I knew that you needed me. I couldn’t leave you in here by yourself. With him—“ she grit out.

“Here,” he handed Rey the gun his father had given him and grabbed Snoke’s gun for himself. “The creep got away. But I wounded him. So he shouldn’t be far.”

Ben walked in front of Rey, shielding her as they made their way through the house. They reached a screened in porch area. There were traces of blood left on the cement floor and the screen door.

The rainforest was dense around the little shack that Snoke was hiding out in. The old man could be anywhere in the surrounding foliage. But Ben had a hunch that he hadn’t gotten far.

They made their way around the the house and were met with Finn and Poe who were gathered around Lina, calming the girl down.

“Did he come this way?” Ben asked in a whisper.

“No,” Finn replied. “But Jess ran off into the jungle, heading that way.” He pointed towards a path that would have otherwise been hidden.

Ben jogged down the path, his heart racing in fear. He hoped that Jessika hadn’t done something stupid. Snoke was not to be underestimated.

He heard footsteps behind him and knew that Rey was following him too. When he turned the corner there was a row of wooden steps leading down to a clearing. Ben rushed down them to see Jessika pulling the hair of a much taller blonde woman.

Jessika slammed her heel into Phasma’s back and the taller woman fell to the ground with a scream. Jessika straddled her back and pulled one of Phasma’s arms back in a lock hold.

Ben stopped and stared at the sight. Jessika was— kicking Phasma’s ass. He met Rey’s eyes and she had a smile on her face.

The three of them grabbed Phasma and walked her back to the front of the house where Finn and Poe were standing.

Ben then noticed Phasma’s car, hidden back in the trees. She must have been the reinforcements Snoke had mentioned.

Poe trotted over with some rope and smirked at Ben.

“What do you say we put this rope to use,” Poe said smugly.

Ben pushed Phasma over to him and together they tied her wrists in knots.

Ben felt uneasy with the knowledge that Snoke was still around, lurking in the shadows. He noticed that Rey was leaning over and speaking to Lina with a smile on her face. He thought of how Rey was going to be a wonderful mother, and as she was distracted— he dashed into the forest, in search of Snoke.

***

Through the trees, amidst the rubble of an ancient ruin found deep in the rainforest, Ben found Snoke. The man was praying to the Death god as he lit a pyre made of branches and twigs in a blaze.

As Ben approached, Snoke spun on his heel and smiled wickedly.

“I had hoped this would have ended another way. You can still join me, Kylo.”

“I would rather die,” Ben yelled.

“That’s the idea,” Snoke smiled.

Ben pulled out his gun and pointed it at Snoke.

“Not today,” Ben replied.

Snoke raised his hand and grabbed the gun with an invisible hold, throwing it into the brush of the rainforest.

“What the fuck?” Ben gasped.

“I told you that I had gained power from _Yum Cimil_. And now, I will gain more when I sacrifice you.”

Ben swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat. He needed to think fast. Ben needed to incapacitate Snoke, but without a weapon… and Snoke obtaining that strange, supernatural power-- how would it even be possible?

Snoke approached him with a sinister look on his face. Sweat beaded at his brow, he felt frozen in his spot.

Snoke took out a knife and grabbed Ben’s arm, slicing it and collecting some of Ben’s blood in a vessel.

He took it over to the raging pyre and continued his prayers.

Ben heard the snapping of twigs behind him. He knew it could only be one person-- Rey. And sure enough, as he turned his head, he saw Rey approaching with the gun he had given her.

He looked into Rey’s eyes and motioned for her to _shoot_. She needed to do it while Snoke was distracted in prayer, before he could use those powers to disarm her.

The gunshot rang through the forest as it hit Snoke’s shoulder. He grimaced at the pain and snapped his head around in the direction of the gunshot.

“That’s payback from when you shot my husband,” Rey yelled.

Snoke lifted his hand and grabbed the gun with the invisible hold. It slapped into his outreaching hand.

“Even better, I can sacrifice both of you to _Yum Cimil._ ”

Rey walked forward and grasped Ben’s hand. He felt a warm energy merging from where they were touching.

Ben felt the wounds he had been given, start to heal and a light was shining down on him and Rey. When he looked up, Snoke was staring at them in _fear_.

The gun in Snoke’s hand shook. The rubble from the ruins began to shake, the earth around them moving beneath their feet.

Those whispers they had heard in the temple of Tikal, surrounded them, flowing fluidly through the trees and in the breeze. But this time, the whispers weren’t chanting _Yum Cimil._ They were chanting _Itzamńa god of the sun, Ixchel goddess of the moon_.

Rey’s hand rested over her flat stomach and Ben felt the power emitting from her.

“The gods have blessed you-- how? Why?” Snoke gasped out.

Ben looked into Rey’s eyes and they rose their clasped hands towards Snoke. He felt like his body was flowing with energy, and as he looked over at Rey-- she glowed like the moon on a starry night.

The gun flew out of Snoke’s hand and landed in the brush behind them. As they walked forward, the older man fell to his knees. Snoke started grabbing at his skin and screaming at the top of his lungs.

“I’m on fire-- it burns. Please help me,” Snoke called out.

Ben looked behind Snoke and saw a hazy image of a skeleton being standing behind Snoke. _Yum Cimil._

Ben remembered about his readings into _Yum Cimil_. There was a myth about the burning of souls. Snoke was screaming in pain as if he was on fire, but there were no burns on his skin.

Ben grabbed Rey and pulled her into his chest as they watched Snoke writhe on the ground. It was horrid, he couldn’t stand here and watch this man’s soul being burned alive.

“Sweetheart,” he said into Rey’s ear. “Make it rain.”

They raised their hands to the sky and pleaded to Itzamńa and Ixchel to cleanse the earth and Snoke’s soul.

Drops started falling from the sky, a steady mist that turned to a downpour. Snoke laid on the ground, staring at the sky with a dazed look on his face. But Ben noticed Snoke’s chest rising and falling with every breath he took. He was alive.

The rain continued to pour, and Rey turned to meet his eyes. She rose up to her toes and kissed him. Their rain kissed lips soft and slick against the other.

When Ben pulled away, he kissed her forehead and picked her up off of her feet. Her legs instantly went around his waist.

“I told you I was the dark one,” She replied, nuzzling her nose against his. “You are the sun Ben. And I am the moon.”

“We are the balance,” Ben replied. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my beta Nori!!! 
> 
> Nerd links.... 
> 
> Burning of Souls myth   
> https://mayanmythology.weebly.com/yum-cimil.html
> 
> Itzamna and Ixchel   
> https://www.google.com/amp/www.theplayatimes.com/2017/07/03/ixchel-itzamna-maya-gods-sun-moon/amp/


	19. Chapter 19

Ben held Rey in his arms as the rain tapered off to a misty drizzle. Snoke was still lying on the ground, staring at the sky with a dazed look on his face. They heard footsteps approaching, trekking through the foliage and the glow of flashlights off in the distance.

Within minutes, a team of officers showed up, Ben and Rey held their arms up as they approached. Just behind them were two figures pushing their way to the front.

“Ben, Rey,” Leia yelled, rushing forward to gather them both in a hug.

“That’s the man,” Han told the officers, pointing to Snoke as the man tried to get to his feet. He wouldn’t be escaping this time around.

The officers surrounded Snoke and cuffed him, taking him back to the police cars that now surrounded the little shack.

Han walked up to them and joined in the hug. They stood there for a few minutes in silence, with the misty rain kissing their faces. Thankful that the nightmare was finally over, and Snoke had been defeated.

***

Back at the hotel, everybody went their separate ways, eager to get into some dry clothes.

As Ben entered their room, he immediately walked to the bathroom and started the shower. He turned the water as hot as it would go.

He felt arms wrap around his waist and Rey’s head pressed into his upper back, just between his shoulder blades. Ben placed his hand on top of one of hers and interlaced their fingers.

Her fingers were like ice, his little ray of light, always so prone to the cold. He turned in her arms and cupped her face, capturing her lips in a heated kiss.

They rid each other of their clothes and made their way into the shower. Ben held Rey in his arms as the water rained down upon them. He stroked her hair and kissed her lips. They stayed in the shower until the water grew cold.

Ben covered Rey in a white fluffy towel and wrapped one loosely around his waist. He left her in the warmth of the bathroom while he found some hotel robes. When he came back, he yanked her towel off, admiring her naked body before draping the robe over her shoulders. He smoothed his hands down her sides, dropping to his knees to kiss her flat stomach.

“We haven’t decided on a name yet,” he said into her skin.

“I’ve thought of one,” she said quietly.

Ben rose to his feet and pulled her body to his chest, the robe was still open, making her breasts press against him.

“Yeah, what is it?” he nuzzled her nose.

“If we are having a boy, which I have a feeling that we are-- what do you think about the name Atlas?”

“Atlas,” he said out loud. And the name felt right. It was unique yet it perfectly described their lives. “Atlas Solo. I love it.”

Ben scooped her up off of her feet and carried her to their bed. Rey looped her arms around his neck and rained kisses on his cheeks and chin.

He laid her back on the bed and crawled over her body. Rey grabbed the edge of his towel and pulled it open. She licked her lips as she reached down between their bodies and grabbed hold of his cock, slowly giving him a few strokes.

Ben reached behind him to grab the towel and toss it onto the floor. Then he moved his hand to Rey’s hot center and teased her there until he felt her beginning to get slick. He pressed one finger inside of her and he felt her walls contract around his digit. It made blood start rushing to his cock.

He slipped his finger out of her and she whined at the loss. Ben sucked his finger into his mouth and moaned at the taste of her. He then grabbed his throbbing erection and lined himself up to her entrance.

With one hard thrust, he sheathed himself inside of her. Her warm, slick pussy felt amazing wrapped around his dick.

“Oh Ben,” she moaned, grabbing his ass and pulling him further into her.

Ben started to thrust languidly, relishing every stroke. She was simply perfection.

Suddenly, Rey pushed his shoulder and he fell against the mattress on his back. She climbed into his lap and grabbed his erection, lifting up on her knees, she slid slowly down his cock until he was hilted inside of her.

Then she started to rock her hips against him. Her dominance make his cock grow even harder. He grabbed her hips and started to meet her thrust for thrust. Her peachy bottom was resting on his thighs as he dug his feet into the mattress and started thrusting faster.

He loved the way her tits bounced as he pounded into her. _My gorgeous girl-- mine, all mine_ , he thought.

Rey smoothed her hands down his chest and rested them on his abdominals. Ben grabbed her ass and squeezed the round globes in the palms of his hands. She rocked her hips against his, riding him into the pillows. And _fuck_ if it wasn’t the sexiest thing he had ever seen--her mouth hanging open as she took his cock.

Her nails dug into dug into her sides as she started to moan. Ben knew she was getting close just by the look on her face and how slick she was getting around his cock. He pressed a thumb to her clit and started rubbing it in swift circles.

Her thighs started to shake as she went over the edge, her walls fluttering and clenching around his cock as she came. Ben thrusted into her harder, chasing his own orgasm. And soon enough he was filling her to the brim with his come.

Rey collapsed on top of his chest, Ben wrapped his arms around her back and held her tightly, with his cock still pressed deeply inside of her. They both felt their eyes start to drift closed as exhaustion overtook them.

***

The next morning, Ben and Rey met up with the rest of their friends and family at Poe’s home. Poe made a traditional Guatemalan breakfast for all of them.

There was a heaping portion of scrambled eggs, fried plantains slices, and black beans. Poe also made some freshly squeezed orange juice from the oranges he picked from the tree in his backyard.

They ate outside on the patio, enjoying conversation. Poe kept apologizing to Ben in whispers, but Ben didn’t want any apologies. If it had been Ben in that same situation, he knew he would do anything to save Rey and his baby.

After everyone finished eating breakfast, Ben stood and started telling Poe goodbye. This was probably going to be the last he would see of the man, being that they were flying back to New York the following day.

Finn cleared his throat and started shuffling his feet nervously.

“I’m going to stay,” he said.

Poe placed a hand on Finn’s shoulder and smiled at him.

“Poe offered me a job, and I’m going to take it,” Finn added.

Rey and Jess walked into Finn’s arms and gave him a huge hug.

“You are going to be missed,” Jess said, pressing a kiss to Finn’s cheek.

“Keep in touch with us,” Rey added.

Finn squeezed them into a hug again before releasing them and walking towards Ben. Finn held out his hand for Ben to shake and instead of taking it, Ben pulled Finn into his arms and hugged him tightly.

“You’ll have to visit once the baby is born,” Ben said.

“Oh I wouldn’t miss that for the world,” Finn said with a smile.

***

The flight back to New York was smooth and uneventful. Ben let out a sigh of relief when he unlocked the door to their apartment and walked inside to the familiarity of their _home_.

Rey was already on the phone with her obstetrician, making an appointment to be seen as soon as they could get her in.

Ben put their luggage down in the entryway and walked over to his brown leather couch, collapsing down into the cushions.

Rey came over and sat down next to him, grabbing his face and pulling him down for a deep kiss.

When he broke away for air, he looked into her eyes-- they were shining in the low lamplight of their apartment.

“They can get us in tomorrow,” she said with a smile.

Ben kissed her again, pulling her over his lap so that she was straddling him.

“I love you sweetheart,” he said, brushing his thumb along her cheek.

“I love you too, doctor,” she said with a smirk.

Ben growled as he carried her to their bedroom, kicking the door closed behind them as he mouthed at her neck.

***

Ben’s foot giggled nervously as they waited for the doctor to come into the exam room. Rey was clutching his hand and whispering to him that everything was going to be okay. He couldn’t help but to be nervous, after Rey’s exhaustion and the fight with Snoke. He would be heartbroken if something happened to their little baby, their Atlas.

The doctor came in and welcomed them with a smile.

“Ben, I haven’t seen you in quite a while,” Dr. Kalonia said with a smile. She had been his mother’s obstetrician when he was born.

Dr. Kalonia pulled a sonogram machine into the room and asked Rey to pull her shirt up and to push her pants down just enough to reveal her lower stomach.

Ben squeezed Rey’s hand tightly as Dr. Kalonia rubbed some gel onto Rey’s stomach. Then the doctor started to move the wand around Rey’s stomach until--

“Hear that?” Dr. Kalonia announced with a bright smile. “That’s your baby’s heartbeat.”

Rey started tearing up and Ben felt his face wet from his own tears. He quickly wiped them away and brought Rey’s hand to his lips so he could press kisses to her knuckles.

“And this--” said Dr. Kalonia, pointing to a small bean like shape on the sonogram, “This is your baby.”

“Hello Atlas,” Rey choked up. “We love you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my beta Nori. 
> 
> There will be an epilogue to follow. And as it stands, there will be a third and final installment. I’m not sure how long it will be. We shall see. 
> 
> Thank you for all the support <3


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lactation kink....

**ONE YEAR LATER**

 

Ben rocked his little boy in his arms as he sang him a sweet lullaby. Little Atlas Solo was a healthy little baby with a shock of dark hair with Ben’s brown eyes and Rey’s dainty features. Atlas let out a tiny yawn as he reached for Ben’s chin with his chubby hand.

Ben placed his baby into the crib and turned the mobile on. It played a soft melody as Ben watched Atlas start to shut his eyes.

Arms wrapped around his back and Ben looked over his shoulder to smile at his wife.

“He’s learning to fall asleep on his own,” he whispered to Rey.

“Come on,” Rey replied. “Let’s leave him to get some rest.”

Ben’s heart ached to leave his son, even for just a moment. And he knew that Rey felt the same way. But tonight was a night to celebrate. Tonight was their one year wedding anniversary.

***

They both wore sweats and t-shirts as they made their way to the dining room. But Ben had made sure to light some candles and set the table for the two of them to enjoy a nice meal.

He had ordered take-out from their favorite Japanese restaurant.

Ben held Rey’s hand as they talked about everything and nothing at all. It was quite nice, just spending some alone time together. Their lives had changed so much when little Atlas came into their world.

“I have a present for you,” he said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a black velvet box.

He placed it on the dining room table and slid it over to her.

Rey smiled as she opened the lid of the box and gasped at what she found inside.

She pulled out the delicate chain; Ben had gotten her a locket with a world map printed on the front. On the back he had it engraved with their wedding date. She popped the locket open and her eyes welled up with tears as she saw the picture he had placed inside. It was one of the three of them on the day of Atlas’ delivery.

“It’s perfect,” Rey said, smiling at him as he took the chain into his hands. Rey turned around and moved her hair out of the way so that Ben could clasp the necklace around her neck.

It settled just between her swollen breasts, and he couldn’t help but to lick his lips at the sight. Ben had always loved her tits, but they were especially tantalizing to him now.

“I have a gift for you as well.” she said seductively. “But you’ll have to wait a little bit.” Rey bit her lower lip and she looked into his eyes with heat.

Ben groaned as he reached over and squeezed her thigh.

“You don’t even know how sexy you are, do you?” he asked.

She blushed, her cheeks pink tinged in the low candlelight of the dining room.

She twirled her noodles around her fork and started to eat them daintily. Ben loved to just watch her eat. It had been interesting dealing with her pregnancy-- and Rey having new cravings or food aversions. She constantly craved chocolate donuts and she couldn’t stomach grilled chicken.

Now she had her appetite back, and could eat all the foods she had to stay away from while pregnant. Ben shook himself from his stupor as he shoveled the last of his noodles into his mouth.

Rey cleared her throat as she replied, “ready for dessert?”

***

Ben had ordered a small cake from the local bakery. It was much like the top tier of a wedding cake. Since they hadn’t had a cake at their wedding, Ben wanted to get them one to celebrate their first anniversary like most couples got to-- by eating the top of their wedding cake.

The cake he had ordered was decorated to look like the Egyptian Desert with their names written across the top in sanskrit. Ben grabbed two forks and brought them along with the cake back to the dining room.

He handed one of the forks to Rey and they both started to dig into the cake. Rey moaned as she swallowed the first bite, a bit of the icing sticking to her bottom lip. Ben leaned forward and clashed their lips together.

Rey stuck her finger in the icing and held them up to Ben’s lips. He took her fingers in his mouth and eagerly sucked them clean. He then stuck a few of his fingers in the icing and gave her a mischievous look.

Rey was wearing a scoop neck t-shirt that gave him a wonderful view of her cleavage. And when she leaned over he could see her nipples. Ben took his icing covered fingers and painted her cleavage.

Rey let out a loud chuckle as she threw her head back. Ben pulled down her shirt to reveal her breast and started licking the icing off of her body.

“I want you,” he groaned into her skin.

Rey took his hands and led him over to the bedroom. His cock was already half hard and straining beneath the fabric of his sweatpants.

Rey pushed him onto the bed and straddled his hips.

“Are you ready for your gift?” she asked with a smirk on her face.

Ben’s eyes were settled on her tits, there were two small wet spots on the front of her shirt from where she had leaked, and he licked his lips.

“Uh huh,” he replied, never taking his eyes off of her tits.

Rey reached down and grabbed the end of her shirt and pulled it up over her head and her gloriously bare breasts were revealed to him. Her tits were full and practically bursting with her milk. Rey took his hand and helped him to cup the bottom of her breast as she brought her nipple to his mouth.

The end of the stiff peak was wet with her milk and she rubbed it against his lips. He licked the bead of milk off of her bud and groaned at the sweet taste.

“I’ve seen the way you look at me with curiosity when I nurse Atlas. It’s okay Ben-- I want to give this to you.”

Ben felt like he lost the ability to talk-- or to even think. Rey was running her fingers through his hair and cooing into his ear. He brought his mouth down to her nipple and wrapped his lips around the stiff peak. Then he started to suck-- and his brain short circuited.

It only took a couple of sucks before her milk let down and started spraying against his tongue. He drank it eagerly, enjoying the warm sweet taste.

He sat up, taking more of her breast into his mouth as he wrapped as arm around her lower back, pulling her closer.

His other hand massaged the tit he has in his mouth, causing the milk to flow faster. Once he’s drained her one breast, he moved on to the next and started flicking his tongue over her wet nipple, tasting the droplets of milk on the end before taking it between his lips.

Ben suckled at her breast, feeling himself grow hard as he bucked his hips up into her. He is suddenly impatient, tugging at her sweatpants until he frees her of them. Then he pulls the band of his down, just enough to free his erection.

Ben teases her entrance with his cock and he finds her wet and wanting. He pushed his dick through her folds, never releasing her breast from his mouth as he continues to suck greedily.

He finally was fully sheathed inside of her and thrusting up into her as he drained her tit. He pulled away from her nipple with a slick pop, licking the milk from his mouth as he captured Rey’s lips in a heated kiss.

He plucked at her nipple and feels her walls begin to tighten around his cock. He continued his ministrations, rolling and tweaking her nipples until she crashed into her orgasm.

“That was-- so hot Rey.”

Ben is pounding into Rey from underneath, he was more hard than he had ever been in his entire life. Ben wonders if Rey could taste the milk on his tongue as he kisses her passionately.

“Fuck, Rey,” he groaned as he pumps into her, spilling his spend against the walls of her pussy.

He was frozen beneath her as he came down from his orgasm. Rey curled up into his chest as they slipped softly to sleep, knowing that their son would be waking them up before too long.

***

Ben was in the backyard getting the grill ready for the steaks he would be cooking for their dinner. Rey was sitting on the stone bench beside the fire pit as she held Atlas in her arms.

“What time are your parents getting here?” she asked as she rocked Atlas back and forth, smiling down at him as he smiled back and cooed.

“They should be here any minute now. Did you still want to skype with Poe and Finn?”

Atlas started sucking at her collarbone and nuzzling his head between Rey’s breasts. Ben laughed as he replied. “I think he wants to eat first.”

Their backyard was private, surrounded by trees. So Rey pulled down her tank top and started to nurse Atlas out in the open.

Ben turned to the grill and started to put the steaks on. He wanted dinner to be ready by the time his parents came over.

Once he had finished cooking the steaks and brought them inside, Ben pulled out the roasted red potatoes from the oven and the salad he had prepared earlier from the the refrigerator. He set the dining room table and then walked back outside to help Rey inside with the baby.

Ben leaned down and kissed Rey hard on the mouth and then took Atlas into his arms, letting Rey take a small break.

***

Han and Leia arrived and immediately the two of them took turns holding Atlas and kissing his chubby little cheeks.

It gave Ben and Rey time to set up the laptop and send a skype call over to Finn and Poe.

Finn answered and smiled at them.

“Where’s the little guy?” he asked. They could see that he was sitting in Poe’s living room.

Ben waved over his mother, who was holding Atlas. She held him up to the camera and Finn smiled brightly.

“He’s grown since I last saw him,” Finn replied.

“He was a newborn when you saw him last. He’s a couple of months old now.” Ben said. “And anyway, have you seen me? He’s going to be tall like his dad.”

Before long, they were telling Finn goodbye and making their way into the dining room.

“Have you spoken to Jessika recently?” Han asked.

Rey swallowed her bite of steak before responding, “She’s traveling around Cambodia right now. She has sent me some gorgeous photos of the ruins.”

They made idle chit chat, talking about Atlas and how he was getting stronger at holding his tiny head up. His mother was still holding Atlas in her arms as she turned to give Ben a serious look.

“Ben, have you and Rey thought about when you may get back into the field?”

Ben looked over at Rey and gave her a little smile, encouraging her to answer.

“We are going to take a few years off, and just enjoy time with Atlas. Ben is going back to teaching at the University. But before too long, we would like to travel some more and take him with us-- just like the two of you did with Ben.”

Leia smiled and stood from the table, walking around to Ben and placing Atlas in his arms.

“You two are wonderful parents,” Leia mused.

***

That night, once Rey came back into the bedroom after putting Atlas to bed; Ben held Rey in his arms and whispered tender words of love into her ear.

He couldn’t wait to introduce Atlas to archaeology once he was older, but more than that-- he couldn’t wait to show his son the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m so sad to see this story end. Thank you Nori for being a wonderful beta. 
> 
> Please let me know your thoughts. I plan to start posting the third and final installment sometime after tlj.

**Author's Note:**

> What do you think?


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